


One Fine Day

by Janis70



Category: Buffy, Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-02-08
Packaged: 2021-03-15 22:41:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 52,156
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28946061
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Janis70/pseuds/Janis70
Summary: (AU) 'One fine day, you'll look at me'. An old and unexpected face comes back into Buffy's life. Over time the once polite acquaintances will learn more about each other and develop feelings that will far exceeded their wildest dreams. (B/Graham)
Relationships: Graham Miller/Buffy Summers
Comments: 8
Kudos: 6





	1. Chapter 1

**2008: 4 Months Imprisonment**

**Brazilian Jungle: Undisclosed Location**

Face flat in the suffocating gushy surface of mud, Graham squeezed his eyes closed as he regained consciousness. Clenching his jaw from the pain his body had been beaten into, Graham tried to move by a zap of agonising pain from his side bellowed across his chest.

Slowly, he laid his hands flat on the ground. He hardly noticed his hands sinking into the wet mud as he tried to lift himself up.

Sucking in a breath, Graham clenched his teeth to pick himself up but failed, falling flat on his chest again with a wince of pain.

Heavy footsteps sent a quake through the ground.

After a minute, the footsteps stopped. Graham opened his left eye, since his right eye had been swollen completely shut sometime before.

A claw-like hand grabbed the back of Graham's Army camouflage jacket and lifted him up from the ground. The pain shooting through Graham's entire body reminded him that he was alive. His bruised and battered face reddened as he tried to desperately keep his cries of agony in his mouth.

The Moscow demon holding Graham by the collar of his Army jacket looked at the group of Moscow demons standing behind him.

Graham's beaten body stiffened. He could feel a dampness of what he presumed was blood on his side.

The Moscow demons communicated with one another. It was the longest three minutes of Graham's life as the demons went back and forth on what they should do with him and the remainder of his platoon.

Soon, the Moscow demon tossed Graham aside.

He landed on the muddy ground with a thud. Graham coughed unable to handle the pain his body was in. He felt like vomiting from torturous pain.

Graham fought himself from passing out again from the pain. He felt two hands move under his arms and pulled him backwards through the mud to relative safety.

A Moscow demon whirled around and glared at the remaining men still left alive.

With three large stomps, the Moscow demon hoisted one of the men that had helped Graham up and pushed him along to run into the openness of the jungle. It was a piece of two hundred acres of treeless land where eight of the sixteen men in the platoon laid dead. Some were shredded into unrecognizable pieces. Many more had died when they fought the demons four months ago and were forced to surrender.

Graham opened his eye, holding an arm around his broken ribs and watched as the demon pushed the soldier along towards the open land.

After having seen this ten times before, Graham knew that the demon would split from its outer shell into its true gruesome face and charge after the running man. Chasing them was a sport to these demons and all that these poor men could do was run as fast as they could, never looking back. Not one of the soldiers selected survived.

Resting his head back, all that Graham could do was wait to be chosen next. With these broken ribs, he was a gonier for sure.

Unable to look at another one of his men killed, Graham turned his head away when he noticed a Beretta M9 pistol in the muddy grass.

Reaching out to the gun, Graham clenched his jaw, ignoring the pain. He felt determined.

Grabbing a hold of the pistol, Graham pursed his lips as he checked the magazine for bullets. There were only ten rounds left as well as the full magazine in his pants pocket.

Graham slowly stood from the muddy ground, using the rock boulder behind him to help himself back onto his feet. His men looked at him in wonderment as Graham cocked the hammer back and aimed it at a Moscow demons head.

"Hey! _Hey_!" shouted Graham wanting the demon's attention.

The demon snapped its head to Graham and snarled.

"Fuck you," said Graham, then fired the pistol.

_Pop! Pop!_

The demon went down to the ground dead.

The gang of Moscow demons turned to Graham and growled with a roar.

Graham sneered at the dead demon and lifted his icy blue eyes to the rest of the gang that easily outnumbered him. "Who's next?" He cocked the hammer back.

The demon steering the soldier joined into the snarling group of demons.

They charged the lone soldier.

Graham steadily aimed the sidearm at each approaching demon, firing straight between their red and black eyes until all of the bullets ran out.

The rest of the gang of demons moved to attack Graham when a roar made them pause mid-step.

Standing in a western standoff with the Moscow demon that had been leading the poor soldier to the open land growled at Graham.

Defenseless, Graham spat the blood in his mouth and scowled at the demon, refusing to go down without a fight.

The demon began to move towards Graham when the chopping sounds of helicopters up above surrounded the area.

One by one a sniper took out each demon until finally the demon that was to challenge Graham to a fight.

Graham closes his eyes in relief and falls back against the boulder wall as soldiers from a different unit repel themselves from the helicopter to neutralise the area.

An officer walked over to Graham and wrapped an arm around his back to help him back onto his feet and get him out of the area.

Graham opened his left eye to see that it was Riley Finn, his best friend since bootcamp coming to his rescue.

"You're late," Graham said, jokingly moving through the pain that shattered his body with each step.

Riley smiled, "We hit a bit of traffic on the way."

"Typical Riley Finn," Graham's voice was gravelly with exhaustion and pain, "thinkin' that he knows directions better than a navigator."

Riley chuckled and helped walk his best friend towards the strung out ropes that led straight back up to the helicopter.

**5 Months Later**

**Washington, D.C.: Fort McNair Army Base**

"... And because of Major Miller's bravery and resilience that eleven men of his platoon survived the imprisonment." General McNamara spoke to the men sitting in the audience as he presented Graham with the Distinguished Service Cross. "Twenty-five enemy targets were killed. A true testament of heroism."

Graham stood on the small stage feeling very uncomfortable with the recognition. He turned his eyes to the audience to see Riley sitting beside his wife Sam, grinning at his best friend's accomplishment.

Unable to refuse the honour, Graham accepted it and stared straight ahead at the General pinned the Army medal onto his service uniform jacket.

Graham, Riley, and Sam were a part of a top secret Army Special Forces also known as the Ghosts that hunted demons across the world. For the last five years, Graham had been on tour of Brazil fighting demons and the jungle was crawling with the beasts.

Tomorrow morning everyone in this room was ready to board a C-5 Galaxy airplane and go back out to the ruthless jungles of Brazil.

Except for Graham, six weeks ago, he had handed in his discharge papers to the board and found out yesterday that his honourable discharge had been granted. After the four months imprisonment and the daily torturous beatings, and watching too many of his men die, Graham had seen and done enough. It was time to leave the Army once and for all.

Applause erupted in the audience, Graham saluted the General and faced his comrades. He stood awkwardly, waiting the applause to seize. In that moment, all that Graham wanted to do was retreat into his crappy hotel room and perhaps try to sleep.

For months, Graham couldn't sleep. When he closed his eyes all that he saw were the gruesome faces of the demons grinning as they ripped apart his men in front of him. Their curling screams were enough to keep him up at night. Some screamed for their mothers as they laid dead in the open achred land waiting minutes for death to take them.

**Night**

**Base Hotel: #7E**

Entering the darkened hotel room from the celebration party, Graham laid his hand flat against the wall to swift on the dim yellow light.

He walked over to the small round table where his duffle bag laid on top of it and tossed the black velvet box down. He unpinned the medal from his service jacket and placed it back into the box.

Looking at the medal for a minute, Graham clenched his jaw and tossed the box into the duffle bag. He took out two other boxes and unpinned the other medals on his jacket; a Purple Heart and the Soldier's Medal.

Medals were a great sentiment but they don't erase the nightmarish memories of imprisonment.

_Knock! Knock! Knock!_

Graham closed the box and placed it back into the duffle bag and turned to the hotel room door.

Crossing the short distance to the door, Graham wrapped his hand around the doorknob and opened it to find Riley standing on the other side of the doorway.

"I thought we'd celebrate." His old friend held up a six pack of beer and stepped into the hotel room.

Graham was not particularly in the mood for visitors, but now that Riley was here and alone, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to tell him that he was leaving.

* * *

Walking back towards Riley, he grabbed the beer presented to him and tapped the glass bottle against his.

"Wow, Distinguished Service Cross," Riley sat on the edge of the bed sipping the beer in his hand as Graham leaned back on the edge of a dresser. "Ready to take that heroism back out to the jungle?" asked Riley with a smile.

Graham frowned and looked down at the beer bottle in his hand.

Riley pinched his brows together with uncertainty. "What's up?"

"I'm leavin' the Army, Ry." Graham finally said, finding his voice.

"What?" Riley looked at his best friend with disbelief. "N-no you're not."

Graham lifted his gaze to Riley, proving that he was serious about leaving. "My exit was approved by the board a few weeks ago. I'm leavin' with honorary discharge."

"You're serious," Riley frowned, surprised by the sudden turn of events. "Wasn't it you that said, 'We belonged in the military' and that 'we have a mission'?"

"I didn't make this decision lightly. But it's time."

Riley frowned with disbelief, "I can't believe this. I know that last tour messed you up—"

"—It did more than 'mess me up', Riley... I haven't slept in months. Everytime I close my eyes all I see are those men— _my_ men bein' slaughtered. You have no idea what it was like—and I never want you to know what I'm feelin'. But I need this."

Riley placed the beer bottle on the nightstand and stood up from the bed to confront his oldest friend. "Graham, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that those bastards tortured all of you for months. I'm sorry that you had been beaten almost to death but…" he paused for a moment then said, "... the military—the Army is what you are, Graham. You have a mission."

Graham's jaw tightened as he looked at Riley, "I dunno, man. I think I've lost my mission back in the jungle."

"Please, before you make any decisions, just… think about it. Okay? Don't throw away your career over this."

To appease his friend, though his mind had been already set, Graham nodded and said all of the things Riley certainly _wanted_ to hear.

**Next Morning**

**Bolling Air Force Base: Runway: C-5 Galaxy**

The mouth of the massive military transport aircraft was parked proudly on the asphalt runway.

The Special Forces unit walked up the ramp dressed in their combat uniform and their duffle bags in hand.

Following behind the group, Graham walks with Riley and Sam half listening to the couple playfully bicker about who was really in command in their relationship. It was the usual playful argument between the pair. Typically the Finns waited for a new audience to use the cheeky back and forth retort in order to get a few laughs, which always seemed to work. After hearing the joke a hundred times, it was beginning to lose its luster and Graham politely smiled to stroke their comical egos.

Graham watched as the line of rejuvenated Army troops boarded the C-5 Galaxy aircraft and took their seats along the wall.

Riley placed his hand on Sam's lower back, guiding her onto the aircraft when he suddenly noticed Graham was not with them.

The airplane's cargo door began to close, Riley frowned with shock to see Graham still standing on the asphalt with his duffle bag at his feet seeing off the troops.

His decision was final.

**Late Afternoon**

**18400 Massachusetts Avenue NW Washington D.C.: Liberty Bar**

The bar curved into the room, dark in the barely lit room. Through the windows, small streams of light from the street-lamps illuminated the bar.

The smell was of cigarette smoke, stale beer, and strange orders from demons conversing in the establishment. A jangle of voices of the demons behind him fell on deaf ears as Graham stared blankly at the whiskey drink set in front of him.

Graham was officially out of the Army and he had nowhere to go. He didn't have any prospects of what to do next. All that Graham knew was that he wasn't going to go back to Chicago. His overbearing parents would never understand his decision to leave the Army—despite his father being a veteran of the Vietnam War, Retired Staff Sergeant Nicholas Miller believed that any form of battle fatigue was a sign of weakness. 'Mind over matter' was something that had been said constantly during his upbringing.

"Hi there," a loose-skinned demon with floppy ears stood at the bar getting the bartender's attention. "Can I have a glass of chocolate milk and your…" the demon squinted its red eyes at the menu, "... Feline special, please? Oh! This is to-go!"

"Sure thing," said the bartender as he moved into the kitchen.

The demon took a seat at the bar on a stool beside Graham. Tapping its claw-like fingers over the wooden counter, the demon's eyes turned to Graham, vaguely recognising him. "Do I know you?"

Graham did not look at the demon as he broke the whiskey glass to his lips and said, "Uh, no, I don't think so."

"Gee, I know I do." The demon tapped its sharp finger on his chin. "I-I never forget a face." He announced then thought for a moment before slapping its hand on the counter. "Oh! Yeah! You're one of those commando fellas!"

Graham frowned and turned his gaze to the demon.

"Yeah, that's it! You were a part of that horrible government Initiative thing. You guys used to capture demons and do experiments on them. A friend of mine was captured by you and one of you guys put a chip in his head."

"Who are you?"

The demon smiled, "I'm Clement. Clem." He gestured to himself then held out his claw-like hand.

Unsure what to expect from this demon, Graham had rarely ever met a seemingly friendly demon before.

Apprehensively, Graham took Clem's hand into a firm handshake. "Graham Miller."

"Have you been in D.C. long?"

"Only for a few days."

"Oh, well… Are you still with that commando group?"

Graham frowned, "The Initiative." Clem nodded. "No," said Graham, shaking his head. "Disbanded."

Slowly nodding his head, Clem looked at Graham, noticing the sad look on his face. "You look like you can use a spirit guide?"

"Do you know of any?"

"Well…" Clem began to smile, "... no." He frowned. "But maybe I can help."

Graham watched as the demon reached into his shirt pocket and took out a business card and slid it across the wooden counter to Graham.

Picking up the business card, Graham examined it with a curious frown. " _The Council_?"

"It's the new and improved _Watcher's Council_. The old one was destroyed but the Slayer and her pals revived it. That's why I'm here. I'm on business on behalf of _the Council_. I find newly called Slayer's and bring them to subbases."

"How many bases are there?"

"Oh, _thousands_!" Clem said brightly holding his arms out wide. "All across the world. See there was this amazing thing that the witch did right before Sunnydale went kablooey." Clem created an explosion with his hands. "She awakened all of the potential Slayers all across the world. _The Council_ nurtures them and trains them. But it's not just Slayers. Witches… Warlocks… friendly demons…" he gestured to himself. "And the real smarty pants people all have a place at _the Council._ After the Hellmouth was destroyed, the First retaliated and ignited hundreds of Hellmouths across the world, but Cleveland is the biggest and the most active—Hence why HQ is there."

"And you work for the Slayer?"

Clem smiled, flashing his fang-like teeth. "Oh, she's an _angel_. A total doll."

"Here's your chocolate milk and feline special." The bartender placed the drink and a basket of meowing kittens on the counter.

Clem smiled at the bartender then looked at Graham. He leaned in closer and whispered, "I think there could be a place for you. The Slayer is always looking for trainers with… your experience. Okay, bye!" Clem gathered the basket and milk in hand before leaving the bar and Graham at the counter.

Graham stared at the business card, turning it around between his fingers. There was a pensive look on his face.

**Next Morning: 3.48 Hours Later**

**Cleveland, Ohio**

**Cleveland Hopkins International Airport**

Following the herd of passengers exiting the passenger boarding bridge and into the main airport, Graham carried the duffle bag in his hand over his shoulder and looked down at the cellphone in his hand.

Raising his gaze, he read the signs hanging above his head and walked towards the airport exit.

As he walked through the crowded airport, Graham stepped around a loud family of thirteen sprint across the airport, racing to their flight only minutes before take off.

Graham adjusted the worn out and distressed blue and red _Cubs_ baseball hat on his head and looked up at the signage above him.

* * *

Finally stepping out of the airport, Graham waved down a yellow taxi cab that was pulling up to the curb of the airport.

Sliding into the backseat of the cab, Graham put the duffle bag on the backseat bench beside him.

"Where to, buddy?" The taxi driver asked, looking at Graham through the rearview mirror.

Graham took out the business card Clem had given him only twelve hours before. "17 Madison Avenue."

"Oh, the prep school, huh? That's a fine place around here. I see articles in the papers all the time about it. Apparently, it just got some big shot award for being so great." The driver began to chuckle, "I bet that place costs an arm and a leg to get into."

"Preps schools nowadays aren't cheap, I'd imagine," said Graham, turning his gaze out of the window.

The taxi driver looked at Graham through the rearview mirror again and asked, "Why are you going to a prep school? Aren't you a little old for that?" He smirked.

Graham wasn't so sure why he was going to this prep school either. Every bone in his body told him that this was a terrible idea that was only going to come back and bite him in the ass. It would be a shock if anyone—let along the Slayer herself, took the time out and spoke to him. He didn't exactly leave Sunnydale on the best of terms with the Vampire Slayer.

For the last three hours, Graham asked himself, just what in the hell was he doing. He was beginning to regret leaving the Army.

**20 Minutes Later**

**The Council Headquarters**

Twenty minutes had passed when the taxi finally arrived at the new Council which had been smartly disguised as an award winning prep school.

"Good luck," said the cab driver.

Graham looked at the driver, for the first time seeing his gruff face. He nodded silently and released a heavy sigh as he opened the door and looked up at the French Normandy-style castle. He was unable to get out nor was he able to stop the circling thoughts in his brain that screamed at him that this was a terrible idea.

Staring up at the beautiful mansion that had ivy and ferns growing through the crevices of the old winding stone walls. The mansion loomed proudly amongst the rows of trees.

Although, it was not as big as Graham thought it would be. This was _the Council Headquarters_ , he thought it would be enormous.

"Just get this over with," Graham grumbled to himself.

Tightening his jaw, Graham forced himself to take the first few steps up the small staircase and enter into the grand lobby.

**Inside: Grand Lobby**

Moving his gaze around the grand lobby, Graham removed the baseball cap from his head. And looked around the magnificent building. It felt monumental like the White House or the Reichstag building. This place felt very important.

Medieval weaponry was mounted onto the stone walls. Large crests were also mounted onto the walls all around the grand lobby, representing the sectors of _the Council_ , as well as the Watcher's Councils' original crest and a tribute to Sunnydale.

But the crest that had gotten Graham's keen attention hung over the blazing fireplace.

Walking over to it, Graham studied its intricate design of stakes, crosses, the ancient Scythe weapon joined into a Wiccan pentagram.

" _The Council, how may I help you?—Please hold_."

Graham turned to the bouncy feminine voice echoed from a different part of the grand lobby.

Following the voice, Graham rounded a corner to find a woman with long flowing blonde hair. She wore a tight stylish dress and sat behind a desk holding a telephone to her ear and typed information onto a computer.

" _The Council,_ how may I help you?—Please hold." The woman said into the telephone and pressed a button. Graham lowered his gaze to his shoes suddenly feeling absurdly nervous. "How may I help you?"

Graham fiddled with the file in his hands, not paying attention to the woman sitting behind the desk.

" _Ahem_?"

Graham blinked, lifting his eyes to the secretary, startled by her sudden attention.

"How can I help you?" The woman asked him again.

Clicking back into reality, Graham took a step forward to the desk and said, "I'm, uh, lookin' for Buffy Summers."

"Sure! Great!" The woman said brightly and typed a few keys into the computer to track down the appointment information. "What's your name?"

"Graham Miller."

"Do you have an appointment?" She asked, scrolling through the long daybook of all of Buffy's appointments.

Graham frowned, shifting uncomfortably on his feet. "Uh, no. I don't." He mentally kicked himself for the oversight.

"Oh," the blonde secretary frowned as her blue eyes shifted from the computer screen to Graham. "Well, that's going to be a problem because she doesn't have an opening until the year…" the woman looked at the computer screen, "... two thousand and ten."

"That's two years from now." Graham rubbed the back of his neck and stepped closer to the secretary's desk. His eyes dropped to the nameplate on the desk. "Harmony, is it?"

Harmony flirtatiously smiled.

"Harmony, it wouldn't take long. I wouldn't take much of her time. All I'm askin' for is five minutes."

Harmony looked at Graham for a moment and smiled sweetly. She slowly stood from the chair and leaned in closer to Graham over the desk and said, "Sorry, Mr Miller, Buffy Summers' calendar is completely booked. She doesn't have five minutes but I do." She flirtatiously smiled.

Graham looked at the blonde haired secretary with surprise when someone said his name from down the hallway.

"Graham Miller."

Graham turned to look down the long hallway to see a shaggy dark haired man wearing a partially buttoned shirt with a t-shirt underneath, a pair of jeans, and an eyepatch over his left eye.

Facing the man coming towards them, Graham couldn't for the life of him place this man, which told him they had never met before.

The shagged haired man came closer. He wore a friendly lopsided smile across his face when an abrupt look of panic crossed his dark features. "Did something happen to Riley?"

"Wha—N-no," said Graham, easily easing Xander's fears.

"Thank God. Is he back?"

Graham averted his eyes to the ground and shook his head, "No, he isn't. He and Sam left for Brazil yesterday mornin'."

"Oh," Xander slowly nodded his head. "We haven't met before but I'm Xander. I'm a friend of Riley's back in Sunnydale." Xander held out his hand for Graham to shake.

Taking the outstretched hand, Graham firmly shook it and nodded, "I've heard a lot about you. Riley liked you a lot."

Xander bashfully smiled and said, "We liked him a lot too. So, uh, what'd you doing here?"

"I, uh, wanted to talk to Buffy. But I didn't make an appointment and Harmony," he looked at the blonde with a smirk. Harmony released a sigh, entranced by Graham's handsome features. "Said that Buffy is very busy."

"Busy is an understatement. She just got back from the UN meeting in New York."

"The UN?—like _the_ United Nations, UN?"

Xander snapped his fingers with a smirk, "That's the one."

Graham looked surprised.

Xander folded his arms across his chest and sat back on the heels of his boots. "I don't know if Buffy will have time today to talk to you. Maybe if you come back tomorrow. Or better yet, she goes to _Kaffeehaus_ a lot in the morning. You can probably catch her there—if you leave early enough."

Slowly nodding his head, Graham was thinking more and more that all of this was just one huge mistake.

"Okay," was that Graham could say. "I'll try that place tomorrow mornin'. Thank you, Xander."

Xander smirked with a nod, feeling sympathetic to the man.

Graham put back on his _Cubs_ baseball cap and politely nodded to Xander then to Harmony before picking up his duffle bag and leaving _the Council_.

**Next Morning: 5:05 A.M.**

**Kaffeehaus**

It's early. The machines aren't warm yet, but the cafe still smelled of freshly roasted coffee. It was a comforting scent. After four years in the jungle, coffee was one of the many things that was hard to come by. Frequently on missions, Graham never arrived back to the small base fast enough to get his hands on the cargo box of shipments from the States.

Unsure when Buffy would make an appearance, Graham decided to go to the cafe as soon as it opened.

He sat at a small table with two wooden chairs near the cafe door and a large window looking out onto the street.

His hand wrapped around the coffee in front of him and waited patiently for the Vampire Slayer's arrival.

**8:40 A.M.**

The jazz music poured out of the open doors, welcoming the last day of the work week.

Looking down at the watch around his wrist, Graham watched the cafe gradually fill up with more and more people as the morning sun broke through the clouds, lighting up the blue sky.

Turning his icy blue eyes back up to the customers standing in a line waiting to be helped at the counter, Graham caught a glance of a woman starting from her feet up. Her feet adorned a pair of tall platform high heel sandals. Her legs were covered with a pair of black leather pants. Graham's gaze continued upwards. She wore a green blouse top with a long black coat over it. Long golden waves of hair fell down her back and over her shoulders in loose ringlet curls.

His eyes were latched onto the woman just knowing that she was Buffy.

She stood at the register and ordered her drink. The exchange was polite. The barista seemed to have recognised her.

Graham waited until Buffy had finished paying for the drink and walk back towards the door where she would have to pass him again.

In her peripheral vision, Buffy saw a man stand from the chair in a pronounced way that told her that he wasn't just getting up to throw something into the garbage but to get her attention.

Buffy paused and looked to her right to see a face she hadn't seen in seven years. She stared at Graham with large green eyes, not at all expecting to see him again.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, her heart racing in her chest. The last time she had seen Graham was when Riley was sick again and the government doctors needed to help him.

Awkwardly, Graham stepped around the small table and faced her, suddenly terrified with nerves. "Uh… hi, Buffy," he feebly replied, not knowing what to say, despite having practiced it for hours.

She had yet to blink, still struggling to wrap her mind around Graham's sudden return. "Is Riley here too?" she asked, looking around the cafe for her ex-boyfriend.

Graham lowered his gaze to his shoes and shook his head, "No, he isn't. He and Sam left two days ago for another tour in Brazil."

Buffy slowly nodded her head, still very uncertain why Graham was here. They weren't friends—even when she and Riley were still together they hardly said two words to one another. The last thing she had said to him was a threat to kick his ass.

Everything in Graham's body told him to run. To tell her that this was just a huge mistake and head for the hills—maybe even rejoin the Army.

"You still haven't said why you were here? I would say tourism but something tells me that you're not here to explore the _Rock & Roll Hall of Fame_."

Graham smirked, finding her quick quipps still humorous. Although he and Buffy were never really friends and most of their interactions were strained at best. But he had always respected the hell out of her. He'd known Buffy wasn't a bad person. Whether or not she had truly loved Riley, and he believed that she had, what had happened between them wasn't her fault. Riley was in a terrible place at the time. He lost sight of his goals and was inches from losing everything he had worked so hard for. He put Buffy at the center of his universe and it almost destroyed him.

"No, I'm not here on vacation. I, uh, came to see you."

Buffy looked at him with surprise.

She then gestured for them to sit down at the small table to talk.

Once seated, Graham continued, "I went to _the Council_ yesterday but your secretary told me that you were completely booked until two thousand and ten." He watched Buffy roll her eyes. "And then, uh, Xander came by and also said that you were, uh, busy and then said that I'd have a better shot findin' you here than waitin' around for two years, so… here I am." Graham pinched his brows together in a frown. "And now I suddenly feel like a stalker."

The corners of Buffy's mouth tugged into a half smile. "That's a lot of work just to say hi." Her gaze narrowed over him, wondering what his true intentions were.

Graham nervously cleared his throat. "I'm not here to _just_ to say, hi. In D.C. I ran into one of your employees—Clem," he watched her expression softened and freeze into a neutral expression that was impossible to read. "He, uh, gave me this," he pulled out the business card from his pocket and showed it to her. "He said that maybe, you had a job openin'."

"You want a job?" Buffy raised her brows up her forehead. "What happened to the Army?"

Graham uncomfortably shifted in the chair and looked at her, "I'm out."

"Out?"

Graham nodded, "Honourably discharged. It was time." He looked away, not wanting to relive the worst months of his life again in his head.

"So, you came here looking for a job at _the Council_?" Buffy said, piecing together Graham's story.

"Yes,"

Buffy slid the business card back towards Graham across the table and sat back in the chair as she released a breath.

Graham took it as a good sign that she did not laugh in his face but the pensive expression on her face kept him unsettled. He could see that there was a 'but' somewhere floating in her mind.

She released a breath. Graham could see she was looking for the words to let him down easy.

"Graham, we've been down this road before—us teaming up. It wasn't exactly sympatico."

"I know. I'm not a part of the Initiative anymore. And the Ghosts _I was_ a part of did nothin' but neutralise the bad guys," he explained to her.

He could see that Buffy wasn't convinced of his true intentions just yet.

Becoming bold and desperate, Graham leaned over the table and said in a low voice, "Buffy, I can be an asset to you. You know that I have the trainin' and the combat experience to be wherever you need me to be—Whether it's here or across the globe. I have connections in D.C." She patiently waited for him to finish. "I'm a hard worker. I'm loyal. And I am _very good_ at what I do. Buffy, all I am askin' for is a chance."

Buffy inhaled a deep breath and she narrowly looked at him with thought. "You left the army to join another army?" She looked at him bemused.

"I needed a change." Graham smirked.

Sitting back in the chair, Buffy pursed her lips together as the wheels turned in her mind.

"I already have connections in D.C," she said.

Graham swallowed and mentally kicked himself, _of course she does._

"And the positions across the globe are already filled."

This was looking worse and worse, Graham just knew this rejection was coming—of course it was. Discouraged, Graham lowered his gaze, trying to hide his disappointment.

Tilting her head slightly to the side, Buffy squinted her eyes at him then said, "I… may have an opening for a trainer for the Slayers. Hundreds are awakening everyday and so I can always use the help."

Graham stared at the Vampire Slayer, thinking that he had heard her incorrectly. She was giving him a job.

"You're serious?"

Buffy frowned, "You asked for a job. Isn't this what you were anticipating—a job?"

"No," Graham said, almost too quickly which made her smile.

Buffy shrugged and teased him, "I can take it back."

Graham suddenly reached a hand out across the table and wrapped it around her hand. "No. Don't. I'm sorry. I'm just surprised." He withdrew his hand, realising that he was touching her. "I thought I'd have to convince you more. I wrote somethin' out on the airplane and for the last 48-hours I've been practicin' it."

"Practicing?"

Graham slowly relaxed as a small smile tugged at his lips, "Well, yeah, you can be kind of intimidatin'."

A smile lit up her entire face. In that moment, Graham felt struck by her beauty.

He wasn't a blind man. Graham had always known that Buffy was beautiful—like the top tier—way outta his league beautiful but she was Riley's girl. It went against the 'guy code' to drool over your best friend's girl.

But the way the morning yellow sunlight hit her face and created a halo around her golden blonde hair or the bright sparkle of her green eyes as she smiled at him. Graham couldn't pretend to be oblivious to her beauty anymore.

He was certain it was because of her generosity that made him feel something different towards her. But it couldn't last. No matter how many years went by or how far Buffy and Riley had moved on with their lives, she was still his best friend's girl. Besides, there was no way that she would ever be interested in him.

"Are you still there?" Buffy's voice shook him from his wandering mind.

"Uh, yeah, sorry. What?"

"I asked if you wanted to go to _the Council_. I can give you the grand tour and set you up with a security card and other employment documents."

Graham nodded, "Sure."

"Do you have a car or—"

"—I don't. I stayed in the INN around the corner."

Buffy slowly nodded her head, "Okay, then you can ride with me."

"Are you sure?"

Buffy frowned, uncertain why he was so apprehensive. "Why wouldn't I be sure? Are you a backseat driver?"

"No,"

"Then we'll be fine. I won't have to stake you for dictating my speed."

Graham pinched his brows together, now very uncertain if getting into the car with her was a very good idea. It sounded dangerous.

**Lower Level #5: The Pit**

The elevator doors opened to the underground level, which now revealed the massive structure of the new Watcher's Council. They were now four floors underneath the main building. The first floor was a massive library and research rooms—as well as a large conference room dubbed 'the War Room'. The next two floors were created for the Witches and Warlocks. The fourth floor was weaponry training and the fifth floor, where they currently were touring was the Slayer's main training department.

Graham followed Buffy as she stepped out onto the floor first.

"We call this 'the Pit'," said Buffy leading the way through the main hallway and peeked into one of the large training gyms where the Slayers-in-training stood waiting for the demonstration of their instructor and a volunteer.

He turned his head to the gym across the hall to see another group of Slayers practicing Tai Chi.

"Once the Slayers are finished with their training here then we'll deploy them where needed."

"How long do they train for?" asked Graham, holding his hands into his pockets.

Buffy folded her arms across her chest and said, "The initial training is 20-weeks and then there's an additional 17 months pre-deployment training."

Graham raised his brows. "That's long."

"Yeah, but now that we have the numbers so we can afford to take the time and train these girls properly before sending them out into the field." She explained. "Our Witches and Warlocks train for additional two months and they have to go to England and join one of the Covens for 6 weeks before our department head, Willow Rosenberg gives the 'OK' to send 'em out."

"What about the, uh… um…" he blanked on the name of the job the other man that always was around Riley, Buffy, and their friends did.

"Watchers?" She asked, and watched him nod. "Many of them have already spent 5 to 9 years of their lives achieving their doctorate degrees. That's a prerequisite—but there are a few exceptions. Here, they will also train for 20-weeks before being assigned a Slayer." She turned to face him. "This is where you will be. I need someone to train them—hard. I know with your military experience, you're accustomed to discipline and order. Being a Slayer isn't a solo gig anymore. These girls need to be able to work together as a team. I can't let their egos get in the way, that's how people die."

He nodded, "I agree."

Buffy took a breath, "That's why I need you. The Slayers that I do have instructing the classes now are good but they're not _military_ good."

Graham had no idea if this was Buffy yanking his chain. It felt odd that she was stroking his ego.

"That's quite the compliment."

Buffy silently smirked at him and entered the gym.

Immediately, the girls stopped what they were doing and stood at attention. Graham smirked at the girls feeble attempt of 'standing at attention'. If this were the military, their posture would be much better and correct.

He couldn't help but be captivated by Buffy's effortless sense of authority. As soon as she entered the room, the Slayers stopped what they were doing and showed her respect. In the back of his mind, he couldn't help but think about that clumsy girl breaking the yogurt machine and dropping the lunch tray back at the _UC Sunnydale_ cafeteria.

"Good morning," she said, still holding her arms across her chest. "We have a new instructor joining us. Please, welcome, Graham Miller." She gestured for him to step into the gym and greet the girls.

Graham awkwardly entered the room, feeling the weight of the girls eyeballs watching his every move as he entered and stood beside Buffy.

"Graham has great experience in the field fighting demons all across the globe. He was trained by the best and we're very excited to have the Special Forces secret weapon here with us now." She turned her eyes to Graham and saw him look away with embarrassment. "Are there any questions?"

A dark haired Slayer standing in the back, raised her hand.

"Yes, Kennedy," Buffy said with strained patience.

Staring at Graham with skeptical eyes, Kennedy was distrusting with anyone other than the core people of the Scooby Gang. "What are his qualifications?"

Buffy eyed the young Slayer, "Are you questioning my judgement?"

"N-no," Kennedy lied, feeling herself backed into the corner by Buffy's scowl. "I was just wondering…"

"Why don't you tell them a little about yourself," she looked at Graham.

Graham clenched his jaw, pushing aside his nerves and said, "At, uh, eighteen years old I joined up with the Army. I was then picked out from my squadron for a special operation for a dead program they were revivin' called the Initiative. I was sent to Sunnydale, California. After the Initiative was disbanded, I was recruited to the United States most secretive and elite Special Forces unit called Ghosts. I've been trackin' and neutralisin' demons in the jungles of Brazil for the last seven years until I was discharged out and came here."

Kennedy frowned, recognising the term 'the Initiative'. When Kennedy was still with Willow, her ex-girlfriend had told her about the secret government organisation. "You're one of them." Kennedy looked at Buffy, "This guy tried to kill you and you hire him for a job?"

"Once again, Kennedy, I ask, are you questioning my judgement?"

Stiffly, Kennedy bit her tongue, "No."

"Good," Buffy said, and turned her gaze back to the girls in training. "Thank you for your attention, please continue on. Graham," she ushered him with her hand to follow him out of the training gym and follow her back to the elevator. "Let's get you set up and we can talk a little more."

Quietly, Graham nodded.

**Lower Level #1: Library**

On the way to Buffy's office, she decided to stop at the library wanting Graham to meet the Scooby Gang.

Buffy pushed open the heavy swing door and went into the a room with a tiled chessboard and about a hundred shelves fanning out from a central reception area and along the walls. The rows and rows of neatly lined up books with their spines facing outward seemed endless.

Sitting at one of the long research tables was a group of five people talking with one another.

The redhead head was the first to notice Buffy as she entered the library. "Hey, Buffy! We were just gonna call you—" she paused when her blue eyes landed on Graham. "Oh, you're not alone."

"Who's Captain America?" asked Faith, sitting in a wooden chair with her feet propped up on the table.

Rolling her eyes, Buffy turned her gaze to Giles, "This is Graham Miller. One of Riley's friends."

"You were one of the Initiative commandos," Giles removed the glasses from the bridge of his nose, eyeing Graham with fascination.

Clearing his throat, Graham stuffed his hands into the front pockets of his jeans, "Yes, sir, I was."

"What are you doing here?" The older man turned his eyes to Buffy, awaiting an explanation.

"I offered Graham a job," she said plainly. "He'll be the drill instructor for the girls."

Giles slowly nodded his head and asked, "Buffy, is that wise?" Buffy sternly looked at him, which made her surrogate father back down and nodded his head with approval, "Of course." Giles stepped forward, offering his hand to shake, "I'm Rupert Giles, head of the Watcher's Department and a co-founder of _the Council_. This is Willow Rosenberg, our head of the Magic Department."

"You already know me." Xander smiled. "I'm one of the Watcher's here."

"Hi," a dark haired young woman in the early twenties approached Graham holding out her hand. "I'm Dawn—"

"—Dawn is my sister." Buffy quickly added and received a glare from the young woman. "She's studying at Oxford University."

Graham looked at with surprise, "Wow, that's… uh, impressive..." he awkwardly shifted on his feet.

"I'm going to be a Watcher here one of these days." Dawn said. "I'm actually heading back there in a few hours."

"And that ray of sunshine is Faith," Buffy pointed at the attractive dark haired woman with sultry red lips and entracing brown eyes. "Faith is another Slayer." Buffy whispered to Graham.

Faith shifted in the chair to sit up then stand to her feet. "Yo, I'm famished. Who wants some grub?" she asked the room and rolled her eyes with a smile when Xander, Willow, and Dawn all raised their hands.

Buffy looked at Graham, "I guess it's lunchtime. I'd like to talk to you a little more before I show you the perhaps most… _beloved_ room in this entire place."

Graham smirked and followed her out of the library.

**Later**

**Upper Level #4: Buffy's Office**

Entering into the large office, Graham paused taking in its grandeur. Black executive desk, leather upholstered chairs, and a leather couch placed by a large window looking out to the Cleveland skyline. Light brown wood wall cladding, golden accents and a crystal chandelier centering the meeting table all complement each other creating a luxurious and warm office interior.

"Take a seat," Buffy laid a hand on one of the two chairs placed in front of the desk.

Graham did as told and sat down in the chair. He followed Buffy as she moved around the large desk with his eyes to sit down.

Reaching across the desk to the phone, Buffy dialed a number and held it to her ear. "Andrew, can you get me the new employment documents? Thank you." She hung up the phone and sat back in the executive chair.

A minute later, the office door opened and Andrew entered holding a file of documents. He placed them on Buffy's desk and began to walk away when he turned back to Buffy and pointed at Graham and mouthed ' _who's that?_ ' to Buffy.

Buffy stared at him blankly until he got the idea and left the office, leaving Buffy and Graham alone again.

"Can I ask where you're staying?"

"For now, the INN by that coffee shop," answered Graham and noticed the look on Buffy's face. "What's with that face?" He asked carefully.

"You can't stay in an inn."

Shrugging at the thought, Graham sat back in the chair, "It's temporary until I find somethin' more, uh, permanent."

Thinking for a minute, Buffy sat forward, resting her arms on the desk and said, "I have a proposition for you. What if you move into my apartment? It's big, so we wouldn't be on top of each other and it's rent free."

"Rent free?" Graham rubbed a hand over his face and shook his head, "Buf, I'm not a charity case."

"I never said that you were."

"You don't _need_ to say anythin' but you're actin' like I am. I can afford to find my own apartment. I'm not some bum off the street."

Buffy frowned, "The apartment is rent free for me too."

Graham paused. His frown sunk lower down his face with bewilderment. "Wait, what?"

" _The Council_ pays for everything—Well, everything except for clothing and other nonessential purchases. But it pays for housing, academic tuitions, food…" she said. "Since Dawn's going back to school, this huge apartment I have is going to be empty again. Personally, I kinda really hate it when I'm by myself there."

"Why not get a smaller apartment?"

Buffy's face fell, "What?—Are you kidding? Walk-in closet. _And_ there's another closet for _just_ my shoes. I'm not giving that up."

Graham chuckled.

"You won't be spending a cent like you are with the INN and you can stay at my place until you figure out the apartment you would want to move into."

The offer was looking more and more enticing as Buffy kept pitching it. A free place to crash at until he finds _another_ rent free apartment—provided by _the Council_.

He was spending a hundred and thirty-nine a night at the current place he had been staying.

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Buf?"

"Why wouldn't it be a good idea?" She asked him with genuine bafflement, not at all seeing the negatives like Graham.

"I mean, with our past history and—"

"—Stop it right there." She held up her hand, easily piecing together his apprehension. "All I am offering you is a free place to stay until you get on your feet."

Graham sat back in the chair releasing a heavy sigh. He rubbed a hand over his chin for a minute and looked at her as he came to a decision. "Okay."

"Okay?" Buffy asked with some surprise, thinking that perhaps she had to convince him a little bit more.

Nodding his head, "Yeah. You're a decent saleswoman."

Buffy smiled triumphantly and held out her hand across the desk.

Graham reached out his hand, wrapping it around hers and shook on their new living arrangement.


	2. Chapter 2

**Early Evening**

**West Side of Cleveland: DeLuca Luxury Apartments: Parking Garage**

Parking the bright baby blue 1970 Ford Mustang in the designated parking lot in the apartment building's parking garage, Buffy turned the key in the ignition and looked at Graham sitting beside her in the passenger's seat. He had a comical queasy look on his face that was familiar to most of the passengers that ever rode with Buffy.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"That was… and the turns were…" Graham swallowed the nausea and cleared his throat and distracted his mind when the strange sound he had noticed that the classic car was making. "You gotta strange sound with the car."

"Oh, that sound was strange?" Buffy frowned.

Graham slowly nodded his head with a smirk, "Yeah, the thing about classic cars is that sometimes—well, a lot of the times they come with strange sounds." He got out of the car and moved around to the front of it and opened the hood.

Buffy followed him. She turned her eyes to him and watched as he examined the inner mechanics of the classic muscle car.

"It might be a broken fan belt or just clogged pipes." He stood up straight and began to close the hood. "I gotta take a trip to the auto store for some tools."

Buffy eyed at him with an impressed look on her face. "You're into cars?"

Graham shrugged, "I know some stuff. My brother is the real expert."

"You have a brother?"

Graham nodded as he took out the duffle bag from the trunk and closed it. "Yeah. Younger brother."

She leaned against the side of the car, folding her arms across her chest and she eyed him carefully. "There's a lot I don't know about you, Graham Miller."

Holding the duffle bag by the strags over his shoulder, Graham stepped closer to her and smirked, "Yeah, I can say the same thing about you, Buffy Summers."

Right then, both of them had realised it in that moment that there was an unexpected but undeniable spark between them.

Buffy promptly pushed that feeling away as did Graham. His mind repeated to himself that it was against the rules of friendship to even think about his best friend's girl in such a way. He told himself that it was her generosity that made her so attractive to him and not the twinkle of her green eyes or that adorable half smile that sent a cool shiver straight down his spine.

"Should we go in?" Buffy asked, being the first to step away from Graham and head towards the garage entrance into the apartment building.

**Inside: 11th Floor: Apartment #314**

Standing outside the wooden door of the luxury apartment, Graham waited patiently as Buffy took out a key and stuck it into the locks.

His blue eyes shifted from her hand turning the key to the profile of her beautiful face.

She opened the door and flicked the switch of the lights that were above the kitchen's counter island on.

Graham stepped into the large apartment. The apartment was designed in the open concept style. Large open-latch windows circled the apartments' preminatiors letting the light of the red-orange sun stream through the entire apartment. The city views were breathtakingly beautiful.

He followed Buffy further into the apartment and noted the girlish furnishings.

Buffy picked up a remote left on the counter island and lowered a few of the shades down to block the bright blinding sunlight.

"Wow," he looked around the beautiful apartment, "this is nice."

"I'll show you your room," Buffy waved her hand for him to follow him down the short hallway and opened a door. "This was Dawn's room. Most of her stuff is packed up and with her at school." She stepped further into the large room and crossed over to a smaller room that was the bathroom. "You have your own bathroom," Buffy flicked on the light. "Towels are in this closet." She pointed to a narrow closet in the bathroom.

Graham placed the duffle bag on the neatly made bed and watched as Buffy opened the door to another room. "And this is the walk-in closet," she said.

Graham crossed the short distance and stood behind Buffy, peering over her head into the closet. She had been right, this walk-in closet was pretty spacious. It would be its own studio apartment.

"Pretty cleaned out," said Graham.

"Yeah," Buffy said, switching off the light and turning to leave when she became nose to chest with Graham. Lifting her green eyes to his face, Buffy swallowed feeling the heat radiate off of his body. "I'll let you settle in. I can, uh, order a pizza or something."

Graham nodded his head, taking a step back to create distance between one another. "Yeah, sounds good."

Twisting her hands together, Buffy headed to the bedroom door when Graham's voice stopped her, "Buf," she turned to look at him, "thanks for everythin'."

Buffy gently smiled and continued to walk out of the bedroom.

Graham rubbed the back of his neck and unzipped the duffle bag. He reached inside and took out the black velvet box containing the Distinguished Service Cross and tossed it onto the bed then continued to unpack his clothing neatly folded inside the bag.

* * *

Walking back out into the main room of the apartment, Graham saw Buffy standing at the counter island with a laptop opened in front of her.

"Still workin'?" Graham asked, sitting on a stool adjacent to her.

"Uh, kind of… I'm just sending out an email. I ordered a pizza, half cheese and half pepperoni."

Graham nodded, "Okay."

She then closed the laptop and shot him a small smile before turning away. Buffy walked over to the winerack and picked out a bottle of red wine.

"Can you get two glasses in the cabinet?" Buffy asked, over her shoulder as she opened a drawer taking out a bottle opener.

Graham shifted off of the stool and walked over to the cabinet taking out two wine glasses.

**1 Hour Later**

Sitting at either end of the couch, Buffy's high heel sandals were on the floor and her bare feet tucked under herself. Graham had one arm outstretched across the back of the couch, finally beginning to feel comfortable in this apartment and with Buffy.

An open pizza box was set on the coffee table in front them.

"So... tell me, Miller," Buffy began watching Graham's smile widen. "Where're you from?"

Graham sipped the wine and reached over to the coffee table for the bottle. He poured some more wine into his glass and reached the short distance across the couch to pour the remainder of the wine into Buffy's glass. "Chicago," he answered.

"The Windy City. Your younger brother is into cars, what do your parents do?"

"Pop is a Building Service Director. He's been doin' that job since he got back from Vietnam." Buffy sipped the wine in her hand as she listened. "And Mom never worked—or she _was_ a clerk until I was born and hasn't worked since."

Buffy hugged her knee into her chest and asked, "Why the Army?"

"Seemed like an adventure. I wanted to get out of Chicago and the Army was the fastest way to do that."

"You certainly got out," she said with a smile and sipped the wine in her hand.

Graham mimicked her actions and also sipped the wine in hand. "Lemme ask you somethin', Summers," he watched her cheeks redden and smile at the nickname. "What were you like before bein' the Slayer?"

Buffy began to laugh with embarrassment. "In a word, obnoxious."

"How about in two words." He teased her.

"Before being the Slayer I was... an obnoxious, narcissistic, Valley Girl cheerleader."

Graham's brows rose high up his forehead, "I find that hard to believe."

"You don't know me well."

"True," Graham shrugged. "But I know you well enough that you are an incredibly generous person. I can speak to that from experience. And that you're not only well respected but well liked by everybody around you."

Buffy frowned, "You've met Kennedy, right?"

Graham laughed, "Okay, _almost_ everybody around you."

They stared at each one another quietly for a minute, separately trying to figure each other out.

"Rapid fire round," said Buffy.

Graham chuckled and put the wine glass in his hand on the table and relaxed back on the couch. "Fire away."

"Date of birth?"

"May 1, 1976. You?" asked, Graham.

"January 19, 1981."

Graham nodded his head, "A Capricorn. Would you describe yourself as ambitious, organised, practical, and goal-oriented?"

Chuckling at his strange knowledge of zodiac sign descriptions, Buffy sarcastically answered, "Only when my moon is a Gemini." She then mentally applauded herself for making Graham laugh.

"Are you from Sunnydale?" asked Graham.

Buffy shook her head, "No, not originally. Los Angeles. After I burned down the school gym from my first high school, my parents got divorced and me, Mom, and Dawn packed up our things and moved to Sunnydale."

"What does your mother do?"

"She was a curator at a small art gallery in Sunnydale. She died seven years ago."

Graham felt empathetic towards her and said, "I'm sorry."

"Thank you."

They sat in another silence again and looked at one another.

Graham could see the wheels in her mind spinning as she pensively looked at him.

"There's a lot I don't know about you, Graham." Buffy said, as she sipped the wine in her hand.

"You've already stated that."

"I mean it."

Graham tossed her an easy lopsided smirk, "You never needed to know anythin'."

"What'd you mean?"

"When you were with Riley, at the time, you knew everythin' you needed to know about me. I was strictly the 'best friend'—barely on your radar."

"That's not true," Buffy tried to say, though it was very much true. She hardly noticed Riley's friends—except for Forrest, only because he gave her such a hard time. But Graham was always quietly in the background, never demanding anyone's attention.

Graham gently smiled at her unoffended by the reality of it. "Sure it is. I felt the same way. Riley was crazy about you and that's all I needed to know. I had all the information I needed at the time."

"And now you feel differently?" asked Buffy, not realising how flirtatious the question sounded aloud.

"Do you feel differently about me?"

In a silent mutual agreement, they decided 'yes' they did feel differently about one another. Only having spent the day together, their budding friendship felt much older, like they have always been friends.

Buffy found him surprisingly easy to talk to. At first meeting her ex-boyfriend's best friend, Buffy found Graham quiet and almost aloof.

Raising the wine glass in her hand, Buffy said, "Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

Graham smiled and reached for his glass on the coffee table and tapped the glass against hers cheersing to the toast.

**Early Hours of the Morning**

Neither had realised how much time went by as they sat back on the couch talking in an endless conversation about nothing in particular.

Finishing the last of the second bottle of wine, Graham watched as Buffy giggled to his story. He broke out of his shell sometime ago and Buffy discovered that he was very funny.

He could tell that she was a bit tipsy and he found adorably entertaining how her cheeks reddened and her smile grew large.

Relaxed was a feeling he hadn't felt like this in a long time. For years he had walked around with a mountain of stress and pressure on his shoulders weighing him down. The never ending and violent missions through the Brazilian jungles was just a continuous cycle of death.

Only having spent almost 20-hours with her, Graham understood Riley's infatuation with the petite blonde. Besides having the beauty of a goddess, she was thoughtful with a great sense of awareness. He laughed when she had described herself as defiant when it came to authority and then pointed out the irony of her position at _the Council._ Graham was captivated by her ridiculous intelligence which she frequently disguised with clever gallows humoured quips.

He told her funny stories of himself, Riley, and Forrest and all of the nonsense they had gotten themselves into during basic training.

"So we were all standin' at attention—'' Graham began to tell another story to Buffy about his bootcamp days. "—And mind you, it was pourin' rain and we've been marchin' around and doin' the obstacle course the last five hours, we were fuckin' miserable and starvin'. And the DI was walkin' up and down the lines yellin'."

Buffy sat forward, holding her chin into her hand. A smile twitched at her lips anticipating the punchline of the story.

"He was yellin', 'Is anybody here a doctor?'—Why he was askin' this, I dunno. But he got into everyone's face and asked, 'Are you a doctor?' and most of us replied, 'No, sir!'" Graham rubbed his bristled chin and continued, "Me, Ry, and Forrest are all standin' beside each other as this DI comes around to us. He asks me the question, I say 'no'. He asks Riley the same question and Riley says 'no'. Then the DI asks Forrest the question and Forrest says, 'Yes, sir!'"

Buffy's face twisted with confusion.

"The DI yells in Forrest's face, 'What the hell are you the doctor of?' and Forrest says, 'Sir, I am the doctor of love, sir!'" Buffy bust out into a fit of laughter. "Buf, I'm tellin' ya, never was it so hard not to laugh than durin' that moment."

"What happened to him? Did he get in trouble or something?"

Graham shrugged, "He had to run in the rain but it was well worth it. Out of all of us, Forrest was the one with the balls. He'd challenge anyone and everythin'."

"Yeah, I remember," Buffy smiled, rolling her eyes at the memory of the tense and most times unpleasant interactions with Forrest.

"Riley was always the best of us. The guy was born to be a leader. Sometimes Ry can be a little too black and white but he's good at what he does."

"I agree. How about you, Graham? Where did you fall into this trio?"

Graham thought for a minute and rubbed the back of his neck. "I think I was the voice of reason. Sometimes I think I'm too pragmatic."

"We needed more pragmatic people around here," she said, with a soft smile. "Too many idealists on this Hellmouth if you ask me." She watched as the corners of Graham's smile twitched into a small smile.

"If you weren't the Slayer, what would you have done?" asked Graham.

Buffy thoughtfully pursed her lips together and said, "Well, I probably would've finished college with a degree in psychology and I think I would've been a guidance counselor. Before Sunnydale was destroyed, I worked at the high school—it was more or less undercover so I could keep an eye on the Hellmouth but during the times when there wasn't a monster of the week or the First harassing us, I got to be a guidance counselor and I really liked it."

Graham could easily picture Buffy in the role as a guidance counselor. Because of her undoubtable experiences with social isolation because of being a Slayer, she was able to grow and develop empathy towards other outcasts. It would make her relatable to a majority—if not all of the teens going to her for advice.

"What about you? If there weren't vampires and demons, what would you have done?"

"I would've still joined the Army. Instead of neutralisin' demons in jungles, I would've been neutralisin' terrorist extremist groups in the Middle East. I wouldn't've met you though."

Buffy looked at him and waved her hand, "Nah, we would've found our way to each other somehow."

In that moment, Buffy wondered what it would have been like if she had met Graham first. If she had dropped those textbooks on Graham's head instead of Riley's.

"Why are you lookin' at me that way?"

Buffy shook herself out from her spiraling thoughts and said, "Nothing. I was just thinking of how much I like talking to you."

Graham tossed her an easy lopsided smile, "Yeah, I like talkin' to you, too."

**Morning**

**Buffy's Bedroom**

The aroma of turpeny, resinous, and dry distillation coffee entered Buffy's nostrils awakening her from a dreamless sleep only having gone to bed a few hours ago.

Her eyes opened and then stretched her arms over her head when she remembered that she had a new—albeit temporary roommate living in her apartment.

Sitting up in the bed, Buffy reached to the foot of the bed for her robe and covered her naked arms.

Getting out of the bed, Buffy tied the rope around her slender body, pushed up the sleeves of the robe, and ran a hand through her long tousled hair.

Following the freshly brewed coffee scent, Buffy opened the bedroom door and stepped into the main room of the apartment to see Graham standing at the refrigerator gathering the ingredients for pancakes.

Her eyes rolled over him for a minute before he turned around and noticed her. He wore a pair of black pajama pants and a white tank top that showed off his muscular shoulders and arms.

Graham turned away from the refrigerator holding a small bowl of eggs and the half gallon of milk in his hands. "Oh, you're up."

"You're cooking."

Graham shrugged, "I hope you don't mind. Think of it as a 'thank you for everythin' breakfast'." He smiled at her cheekily and set the ingredients onto the counter. "Do you like pancakes?"

"Will they be funny shaped?"

"Is there another way of makin' 'em?" He asked with a widening smile.

"I've never heard of another way and I watch every cooking show there is," she teased, enjoying the effortless back and forth.

Graham chuckled and poured her a cup of coffee. He passed it to her and told her to sit down at the counter island while he made her the best funny shaped pancakes in all of the world. They were so good Gordon Ramsey himself would be begging Graham for the secret ingredient.

Buffy laughed as Graham humorously boysted himself.

She watched him as he stepped over to an old-timey radio sitting on the counter. "Where'd you get that?" Buffy asked, sipping the hot coffee between her hands.

"My grandpop," answered Graham. He faced her, placed a hand over the radio. "This is a 1941 model 41-81T portable Philco Radio. My grandpop jumped out of an airplane on D-Day with this sucker in his pack. He took it all across France then through the Netherlands, Belgium, and all the way to Germany. He played it at the Eagle's Nest in Hitler's office. I restored it a while back and I've taken it with me everywhere since he gave it to me before he died."

Buffy smiled loving this story of a family heirloom to be passed down to generations to come.

He hunched over the antique radio twisting the radio dial to find a clear station, Graham paused as the beginning keyboard keys and drums opened up the song. Graham began to bob his head.

" _Feelin' better now that we're through_

_Feelin' better, 'cause I'm over you_

_I learned my lesson, it left a scar_

_Now I see how you really are_

_You're no good_

_You're no good_

_You're no good_

_Baby, you're no good_

_I'm gonna say it again_ "

Buffy had fond memories of her mother playing the Linda Ronstadt ' _Heart Like a Wheel'_ record over and over, filling the household with her operatic soprano, plummy, marked with a sultry vibrato voice.

She laughed unsure what had gotten into him as he began to sing along terribly to the rock song and play the air guitar to the music.

Buffy stares at him, finding herself more than entertained by his playful antics. She was happy he had broken out of his shell since their hours long conversation last night and into the early morning.

Buffy found that she very much liked his playfulness.

He moved around the counter island taking her hand to join him in the kitchen. Embarrassed, Buffy played along and let him pull her off the stool. He spun her around and pulled her close into his chest. One hand was at her lower back and the other held her hand as they danced to the music.

" _I broke a heart that's gentle and true_

_Well, I broke a heart over someone like you_

_I'll beg his forgiveness on bended knee_

_I wouldn't blame him if he said to me_

_You're no good_

_You're no good_

_You're no good_

_Baby, you're no good_

_I'm gonna say it again_ "

Buffy laughed when Graham spun her around again and then held her close into his muscular body.

Lifting her eyes to his, Buffy fell into the depths of his icy blue eyes, transfixed by their sparkle. Graham felt that pull of attraction too. After last night, which lasted into the early hours of the morning, Graham was realising that it would be very, _very_ hard not to develop feelings for this woman.

Remembering the 'guy code rule' of conduct involving your best friend's ex-girlfriend.

The dancing smile across Buffy's face twisted into an awkward expression. She cleared her throat remembering that she and Graham were strictly friends. "I should, uh, get dressed." said Buffy.

Graham nodded his head and stepped away from Buffy, "Yeah, yeah, I'll, uh, make breakfast while you do that." He watched her walk out of the main room and head into the bedroom to get dressed.

Graham lowered the volume of the radio and began to mix the ingredients for breakfast.

_**Song Used: "You're No Good" by Linda Ronstadt** _


	3. Chapter 3

**2 Week Later: Late Night**

**Graham's Subconscious: Brazilian Jungle: Undisclosed Location**

The sticky unrelenting heat of the jungle was an assault on all of the senses. The virescent hues were the foreground, the background, and as high up as you could see blocking out the blue sky.

The buzzing sounds of insects, the birds, and the demons keeping the remaining men imprisoned.

Graham felt his heart racing in a silent panic. His blue eyes were wide, the pupils dilated, brain on fire, like a cluster bomb exploding in his brain. The shrill screams of the men pinned to the muddy ground gripped around Graham's throat.

Frozen in panic, Graham couldn't look away as the demons ripped open the poor soldier as they feasted on his inners.

The screams seemed never ending, never letting the poor man die.

**Reality: DeLuca Luxury Apartments: 11th Floor: Apartment #314: Graham's Bedroom**

Awoken with a start, Graham snapped his eyes open. He could feel his heart racing in his chest. His body felt feverish and wet from the sweat of anxiety.

He snapped his focus suddenly, startled by the hand touching the side of his face.

Buffy sat on the edge of the bed looking at him with concern after having awoken him from his recurring night terror.

"It was just a dream," she gently told him, stroking his cheek with the backs of her fingers.

Slowly, Graham sat up in the bed, resting his back against the backboard of the bed. He looked down at his soaked tank top and ran a hand through his short damp dark hair. "It didn't feel like it."

"I'll make you some tea," she offered, unsure what else she could do to help him without prying.

For nearly everyday for a week, Buffy had woken him up from the night terrors. She had tried to ask him about it once before after the second night but he refused to talk about it, telling her that he was 'handling it'.

**Main Living Area**

Graham sat on the couch staring into the abyss unable. His mind was still on the dream. It had felt so vivid. He could still smell the pungent scent of rotting bodies of the dead corpses and their own filth. The metallic taste of blood still filled his mouth. The agonising screams echoed in his mind over and over again.

The teapot whistled.

Graham turned his head into the kitchen to see Buffy standing at the counter pouring water into two cups.

A minute later, Buffy walked to him and sat down on the couch and placed the cup of hot tea down on the coffee table.

For a long time, Buffy sat with him in silence. She understood the irritation and pressure of someone prying into your inner thoughts and feelings. She had hoped that perhaps in time, Graham would open himself up to her.

Graham stared at the cup of tea set in front of him. He could feel the weight of Buffy's eyes on him.

"For months we were trackin' this horde of Moscow demons. There were reports of village massacres within a hundred miles. They were these tall alien-like creatures with giant weird shaped heads, long sharp claws, and teeth… thousands of sharp teeth. They were so fast." Graham quietly told her. "Fifty soldiers in my platoon. Fifty lives that were _my_ responsibility."

Buffy quietly listened, never daring to interrupt him.

"It didn't matter how much tactical mechanics was drilled into us or how to react when a man was lost. We had never trained for how to handle death from a leadership perspective. No one had ever told it to me. I didn't have guidance from a senior officer, all I knew was my men were bein' killed and I couldn't save 'em. Every call I made was the wrong call." Graham inhaled a deep breath and continued,

"They captured thrity of us. For four months, we were imprisoned by these demons. They would do selections and those who were selected would be forced to run across this two hundred acres of no man's land. And these demons would chase that poor bastard for sport." Graham looked down at his hands. "One by one, the demon would catch 'em and… rip 'em to pieces."

Buffy reached out her hand and placed it onto his knee.

"When they weren't makin' selections we were beaten and tortured. I broke five ribs. I was stabbed and beaten to the ground until I passed out 'cause I couldn't take the pain anymore. I tried…" he swallowed the emotion clogged in his throat. "Twenty times, I volunteered myself for selection to take their place. And twenty times, they killed 'em in front of me. Laughin' at me. I found a pistol in the dirt and I shot 'em. I knew I was goin' to die… and I wanted it. I just wanted that torture to be over."

Buffy watched as Graham's chin quivered, trying desperately not to cry for the lives he couldn't save, no matter how hard he tried.

"They don't teach you how to deal with the emotional shock and horrors of war. No one counseled me on the human capacity for good. I was never taught about human nature—which I saw in its rawest form in those months. I have no idea how to react to the men that were lost. We had never trained for how to handle death. To do anythin' but continue on would be complete dereliction of duty, and, in the larger picture, could possibly lead to even worse carnage among the troops left. So I did what I had to do until I couldn't anymore."

Graham ran a tired hand over his face, unable to stop his blue eyes from filling with tears. "They were my men. They were my responsibility." Graham lifted his head and looked at her with glistening wet eyes. "And I-I couldn't save 'em." He released a bitter laugh as he said, "And I get fuckin' medals for it."

Buffy shifted closer to him on the couch and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, pulling him into her arms.

Laying his head on her shoulder, Graham buried his face into the crook of her neck, trying desperately to block out of the screams of the dying.

They sat like that for a while.

Buffy held him tightly, letting him use her for comfort as he mentally battled the guilt of his inability to save every life that had been appointed to lead into battle.

More than anything, Buffy understood the guilt of casualties. She knew the despair of hating oneself for losing a battle—and the lives that went with it. No matter how vigorously you wash your hands afterward, the stains of blood are always there—tattooed on the skin.

Lifting his head up from her shoulder, Graham looked at her. With the pad of her thumb, Buffy brushed away his fallen tears and gently stroked his cheekbone.

"You are a good man," she told him. Graham lowered his head, disbelieving her sentiment. "I know it's impossible to see it now, but you are." Graham began to turn away from her when she stopped him and regained his focus. "Look at me," she softly told him.

Graham lifted his eyes to her.

"This job that we do. We can't save every life. It's cruel. It's unfair. It doesn't make any sense, but that is the consequence of war. You did everything that you could for your people." She moved her hands from his face and wrapped her fingers around his hand on his knee.

Graham felt the gentle pressure of her squeezing his hand.

"I'm going to suggest something to you. Please, don't be offended," said Buffy, watching him staring at their conjoined hands on his knee. "There's a therapist at _the Council_. He's an old friend of Giles, but he's very good. I think… maybe he can help you."

"I don't need any help."

Buffy released a breath and said, "And I'm not forcing you, but, Graham, you've been waking up from terrors every night for two weeks—and God knows how many other sleepless nights you've had since." Sliding a hand over his muscular shoulder, Buffy said, "All I ask of you is to just think about it."

Graham turned his head and looked at her for a minute before turning his gaze away and nodding his head, accepting her advice.

**3 Weeks Later**

**The Council Headquarters: Upper Level #2: Dr Schmidt's Office**

Sitting in a brown leather chair with his hands firmly on his knees. Graham's eyes were closed. His face relaxed.

After four days in denial of the severity of his trauma, Graham finally caved and reached out to the psychiatrist Buffy had suggested at _the Council_.

Twice a week for the last three weeks, Graham had been going to renowned German psychiatrist, Dr Anno Schmidt. As part of his therapy methods at the Institute for Suggestive Therapy in Berlin-Adlershof, Schmidt typically used medication, tests, hypnosis and talk therapy to heal traumatized veteran soldiers of their secondary diseases. Luckily, in this day in age, soldiers that had gone through severe trauma were not viewed as disgraced nor unworthy for society.

"Breathe very calmly. Breathe in… und out." The dark haired doctor dressed in a tailor dark suit, a matching waist vest, a white shirt, with a lack tie. His greying hair was greased to the right side of his head. A burn scar adorned the left side of his face, from his forehead to his jaw.

Graham slowly took deep breaths, feeling his entire body succumb to relaxation, opening his mind.

Schmidt walked around Graham as he spoke holding his hands into his trouser pockets. "Don't try to put your zoughts into order. Just let zem ko. Und breathe in very deebly… und out. Gut. Gut. And now delve twice as deeply into your relaxed state zan before. Take your time. I vill now take vu back… to zee zource. To zee zource of your zee. I... vill guide vu... step by step. Step by step… all zee vay to zee zource of your fear. To see the truth." He told Graham in a gently soothing voice. "I vill not take vu back to zee zource"

Graham's brows pinched together.

"Zu are in the Brazillian jungles. For months vu were held captive; tordured und beaten everyday. Vu see soldiers die by zee demon. Vu long for zee end so much, vu're dying to finally be chozen und leave everything behind vu."

Schmidt tapped his finger to the center of Graham's forehead.

**Graham's Subconscious**

Graham woke up in the thick blood mixed into the wet mud. He opened his only good eye watching one of his men be split open by the demon. The splatter of the victim's blood stained his dirty face.

Anger built inside of him, unable to do anything to save that man's life from the demon

_Breathe in… und out…_

Graham sprinted through an endless tunnel of blackness.

He knew something was hot on his heels. Determined to survive, Graham sprinted as fast as he could and away from the demons chasing after him.

_Breathe in… und out…_

Standing in the abyss of swallowing darkness, Graham standing alone with his hands at his sides and his mouth wide, yelling in manic hysteria at the source of his demons that were chasing after him

**The Council Headquarters: Upper Level #2: Dr Schmidt's Office**

Graham shot in the chair, fully awake and aware. He panted for breath, feeling the beads of sweat on his forehead. Graham wiped it away and covered his face, regaining himself.

Dr Schmdit sat down in the chair in front of the young man getting a hold of himself after being in a hypnose state. "Vu did very vell today, Graham. I vill zee vu again on Monday."

Nodding his head, Graham stood up from the chair feeling a bit wobbly on his legs. He ran a hand over his face and crossed the short distance to the door to leave.

**Upper Level #4: Buffy's Office**

Opening the door of Buffy's large executive office, Graham entered and tossed his jacket over the back of a chair as he walked straight to the leather couch.

He fell back onto the couch exhausted. The mental energy used after every session with Dr Schmidt wiped him out good.

He covered his face with an elbow just needing a bit of quiet for a few minutes before he went back down to the lower levels for his next training session with the girls.

The sounds of the office door opening and closing pierced into Graham's ear, making him acutely aware that he was no longer the only one in the office.

Removing his arm from over his eyes, he saw Buffy looking at him with a bit of amusement as she walked over to the conference table holding a plastic bag containing lunch.

Pulling himself up from his lying position, Graham swung his legs over the couch and forced himself to stand.

Buffy lifted her eyes to see Graham site in a black chair adjacent to hers at the long conference table. She passed him the styrofoam takeout container and a pair of chopsticks.

Accepting the lunching, Graham opened the takeout container lid and examined his sushi Buffy had purchased for them.

For the last five weeks they had fallen into a routine.

On a daily basis they would alternate who purchased lunch. Typically, Buffy chose sushi and Graham would often pick sandwiches of some sort. It first began as an act of kindness on Buffy's behalf when Graham had first arrived at _the Council,_ having not known anyone yet. But a week turned into 2 weeks and so on, Buffy discovered how much she really liked this man.

After the night Graham revealed his post traumatic trauma to her, something between them clicked. They shifted closer together, finding out that they had more in common that originally perceived.

"Tired?" Buffy asked, realising Graham must have just gotten back from Dr Schmidt's office. After his sessions with the German psychiatrist, Graham was often left mentally drained but strangely relaxed. He was little by little rediscovering his balance.

"Yeah, who knew facin' your inner turmoil was so exhaustin'?" He joked, turning his gaze to her face to watch her smile. "Where did Giles find that guy again?"

Buffy chewed for a minute thinking about what Giles had told her a long time ago. "Um, a Watcher's Retreat."

"Really?"

"Mm-hmm," she said, chewing on another salmon sushi roll. "He got his start from helping German soldiers after World War 1 come to terms with their PTSD. But sometime in the early thirties he 'disappeared'. I think he's a vampire."

"You think?" Graham frowned, "You don't know?"

Buffy looked at him sensing his understandable surprise. She shrugged nonchalantly.

"Buf, you're a Vampire Slayer, how can you say, 'you think'?"

"I never asked." Buffy frowned as she chewed her lunch. "I thought the whole 'Roaring Twenties' look was like a quirky fashion thing. Giles seems to trust him and he is very good—Now that he stopped giving his patients morphine and doing weird orgy therapy sessions."

"Oh, wow… That's a lot of information." His brain felt scrambled from the revelation of his psychiatrist's background.

Buffy stopped, now hoping she didn't turn Graham off from seeing the well respected psychiatrist again. "Are you gonna stop seeing him now that you know some stuff?"

Graham thought for a moment and shook his head, "Nah. I like him. I mean, he's a strange guy but… he knows what he's doin'. I haven't felt this good since… well… I don't remember. And I have you to thank for that." He sat forward taking Buffy's hand, set on the conference table. "Thank you, Buffy." He gave her hand a small squeeze.

"You don't need to thank me, Graham."

"Yeah, I do. By suggestin' Schmidt, you helped me get my life back. You gave me a job, which has givin' me a purpose. You're lettin' me crash at your apartment—"

"—You really are an excellent roommate. Way better than Dawn ever was," she watched him smile. He had a smile that lit up his entire face and it made her heart pound in her chest.

Graham looked down at their touching hands and smirked, "But more than all of that, I'm thankful for your friendship."

A soft smile slid across her face as she looked at him adoringly. If she weren't careful, Buffy could seriously see herself falling head over heels for this man. The way he looked at her, she felt it in her entire body. There was a tingling swirling sensation in the pit of her stomach and a shiver that shot straight down her back. It was a feeling she hadn't felt since… _Angel_.

It was so strange to think that she had nearly forgotten what that feeling felt like. It warmed her and excited her. Her heart pounding fervently in her chest reminded Buffy that she was alive.

"Raw fish can't be good for you," said Grahan, breaking the sweet moment between them.

Rolling her eyes, Buffy had gotten used to Graham's small digs at her choice of lunch. "On the contrary, sushi is _very_ good for you."

"Poisonous," he pointed at her with the chopsticks in hand.

"No, honey, you're thinking of blowfish."

Graham's handsome face twisted with disgust. He threw the chopsticks down into the container and held up his hands, "That's it. I'm done eatin' your poisonous fish lunch."

"You're being _way_ overdramatic." Buffy said with a scoff.

"Buf, I've eaten bugs the size of your head and… I'd rather eat that then this shit."

Buffy tossed a piece of lettuce at his face.

She snorted into a fit of laughter at his reaction to the tossed lettuce covering his eyes.

"That was rude," he tossed the lettuce back at her with a playful grin dancing across his face.

"Don't insult my sushi," she challenged him pointing the chopsticks in her hand at him.

Graham flung a piece of lettuce at Buffy, landing it in her blonde hair.

"Graham!" Buffy whined, comically pouted, as she pulled the pieces of lettuce from her hair, "You got it in my hair!"

Throwing his head back, Graham laughed at her.


	4. Chapter 4

**6 Months Later**

**The Council Headquarters: Main Grounds: Section B**

Arriving at the main woodsy area, Buffy stepped out of the golf cart Xander was driving to watch the duration of the Slayer's in training.

Stuffing her hands into the pockets of her long peacoat, Buffy walked closer to see the girls running around, climbing over wooden logged walls of various sizes, crawl under wires in the frozen mud, climb up tall rope nets specialised for speed, hindrance, and building teamwork.

In another section of the grounds called Section C, was a specialised course specific for assault, weaponry, and night movement.

Graham stoked around wearing dark grey sweatpants with an elastic band at the bottom of the pants, a two-tone grey with a PT Badge and the Army logo embroidered on the jacket covering his muscular body. He wore a black fleece beanie on his head and a pair of black gloves.

Hustling to a Slayer as she crawled underneath the barbwire, Graham crouched down and taunted her. " _Move! Move! Move! You are holdin' up the line!_ " He shouted at the girl.

The Slayer's encouraged one another to keep pushing themselves.

" _You are slowin' everyone down! Move your ass, Carmichael!_ " Graham shouted at the young Slayer, forcing her to shut out the constant shouting and push through and accomplish the obstacle. " _You will not survive out there, if you cannot survive this obstacle course! Move!_ "

Buffy watched with a small smile as Graham followed the girls as they ran through each obstacle course and shouted at them.

"Is it wrong that I get a small satisfaction every time I see Graham run these cocky Slayers into the ground?" Xander whispered to Buffy with a teasing smile.

Rolling her eyes, "Yeah, a little bit, Xand." Buffy shook her head with bemusement and continued to watch the girls complete the rigorous obstacle course.

The few remaining girls left doing the challenging obstacle course were encouraged by their peers. Graham stepped into the background letting the girls motivate one another to the finish line.

Looking over his shoulder, Graham spotted Buffy and Xander standing near the golf cart watching the girls.

He looked back at the Slayers in training and shouted, " _A-ten-hut!_ "

Quickly, the girls fell into straight 10 x 10 lines. The girls stood straight, their shoulders square with their arms stiffly at their sides. They curled their fingers so that the tips of the thumbs are alongside and touching the first joint of their forefingers. The heels of their feet touched together in a sharp line, with the toes pointing out equally. Their heads were erect as they faced straight to the front with the chin drawn in so that the alignment of the head and neck is vertical.

Holding his hands behind his back, Graham inspected the platoon of Slayers with a critical eye.

He noticed a pair of dark wandering eyes. Graham marched over to the girl.

He stood close in front of her and yelled into her face, " _What the hell are you lookin' at, Lorenzo?_ "

Kennedy stiffened and remained still as Graham shouted in her face.

" _I did not permit you to look anywhere but straight ahead! Is that so hard for you to do?_ "

"No, sir!" Kennedy replied.

" _Good_! _If I so much as see you blink, you will regret it! Do I make myself clear?_ "

"Yes, sir!" Kennedy shouted.

Graham leaned in closer into her face and shouted again, " _I did not hear you? Do I make myself clear?_ "

" _Yes, sir!_ "

Graham touched the toe of his right foot to the ground, slightly left of the left heel. On the heel of his left foot, Graham turned 180 degrees to the right on the left heel and on the ball of his right foot, resuming the position of attention.

He walked over to Buffy and relaxed as she met him halfway wearing an easy smile across her face.

"They're all yours, Summers," he tossed her a wink and continued to walk over to Xander as Buffy walked to address her Slayers.

Graham lightly patted his hand on Xander's shoulder when he approached him.

"Jesus Christ, it's freezin' out here," Graham said, rubbing his gloved hands together now feeling the biting winter cold.

"This California boy doesn't do well in Midwest winter."

Graham chuckled, "You'd think me bein' from Chicago, I'd be better off but, hell, I've been in the fuckin' jungles of Brazil for the last decade. All I know is humid and _really_ humid." He joked.

Xander laughed and looked at Graham with his one good eye, "We still on for drinks with the gang later?"

"Yeah, absolutely." Graham turned his gaze back out to the girls watching Buffy talk to them. These were the last months before deployment and another batch of advanced trained Slayers moved up the ranks to be trained and sent out.

Folding his arms across his chest as a poor attempt to block out the cold, Graham listened to Buffy's motivating speech to the girls.

**Evening**

**Downtown Cleveland: The Parlour Room**

Purple and red light lit up the crowded dance floor.

Buffy, Faith, and Willow are on the dance floor gyrating to the electropop music. The dark synths sounds vibrated through the speakers giving the popular nightclub a heartbeat.

 _The Parlour Room_ was not the beloved _Bronze_ , but Buffy and the gang found it good enough.

" _I know what you are_

_What you are, baby_

_Womanizer, woman-womanizer_

_You're a womanizer_

_Oh, womanizer, oh_

_You're a womanizer, baby_ "

Three good looking men on the prowl tried their chances to get with the girls as they danced happily to the popular pop song but the men were ignored as they humped the air around them.

Faith took Buffy's hands and raised their arms above their heads swaying their hips to the dance beat. Willow found an attractive brunette to dance with.

Seated at the tall table keeping an eye on the girls pocketbooks and coats, Xander yammered on as Graham sat beside him, clearly not listening to a word that was said. He sipped the beat in his hand. His bright blue eyes were glued to the dance floor—but more specifically, they were glued to Buffy.

Over the past six months, Graham had fought the feelings she had stirred inside of him. Never in his life had he felt so crazy about a girl before. Most of the time, Buffy drove him nuts. She was moody, hot-headed, high-minded, stubborn, and impatient—and Graham was completely infatuated with her.

It was getting harder to keep to the 'guy code'.

He told himself constantly that 'today is the day to find an apartment', but the days turned into weeks—which turned into six months later.

His eyes lowered to her hips, watching her sway them to the dance-pop music. Graham couldn't help but smirk at the three men's merger attempts to get in-between Buffy, Faith, Willow, and the woman Willow had been dancing with.

Xander knew Graham hadn't been listening to a word he has said in the last five minutes. He also knew that Graham was staring at one person on that dance floor. Xander also knew that Graham and Buffy were very much attracted to each other but for some reason they were fighting that attraction.

Xander figured it was only a matter of time.

Turning his eye from the dance floor to Graham, he noticed a darkening look on his friend's face. Following Graham's gaze back out to the dance floor and noticed Detective Brad Dalton dancing with Buffy.

The smile across her face was large, obviously happy to see the man she has been casually dating for the past month.

The Cleveland Police Department and _the Council_ teamed together when a case of a missing girl became a supernatural abduction. It turned out the girl's mother was a practicing witch that was going to use her daughter as a sacrifice so Satan could walk the earth.

Brad and Buffy instantly hit it off, much to Graham's distaste. For months, Graham had been trying to not only come to terms that his affections towards the legendary Vampire Slayer could potentially cause a major rift between himself and his friend if Riley were to ever find out.

He also simply didn't like Detective Brad Dalton. Graham found the man obnoxiously narcissistic and full of himself. Brad sensed Graham's jealousy and flaunted his 'winnings in Graham's face whenever he could.

"So you're just gonna pretend that this doesn't bother you?" asked Xander, watching Graham tear his eyes away from the dance floor to look down at his hand wrapped around a beer bottle.

As Xander expected, Graham denied his feelings and played dumb. "What's botherin' me?"

"Seeing Buffy with… that detective guy."

"Brad."

" _Brad…_ what a stupid name." Xander rolled his eye.

Graham couldn't argue that, he thought Brad was a stupid pretentious name and Buffy was completely out of his league. But to be fair, Graham thought Buffy was out of _all_ of their leagues _._

"Buffy can date whoever she wants—Stupid name and all." said Graham, noticing the skeptical look on Xander's face. "I'm not jealous." Xander raised a brow at Graham. "Seriously, man, I'm not jealous. Me and Buf are friends and roommates—Which reminds me that I gotta get my own place." He sipped the beer in his hand.

"Six months and you're still roomies with Buffy—Graham, that means something!" Xander desperately wanted to shake some sense in his friends.

"Yeah, it means that I'm busier now than I ever been and I haven't had time to shop around for a free apartment."

Xander shook his head with disappointment, "You're ridiculous, man. You and Buffy are more than just friends."

"Sorry to disappoint you, Xand, but we are _just_ friends." Graham turned his gaze back to the dance floor and wished to be blinded at that very moment. Brad's hands slid all over Buffy's body as she danced against him.

Xander smirked as a look of aggravation and jealousy painted across Graham's face.

Suddenly, Graham jumped up from the stool, his icy blue eyes glaring at Buffy dancing with Brad. "I'm gettin' us another round." He turns away from the table and the dance floor, stomping to the bar.

Xander chuckled, somewhat amused by Graham's obvious jealousy.

* * *

Graham bellied up to the bar, immediately gaining the bartender's attention. "Another round," said Graham, taking out his debit card.

"You got it, man," said the bartender,

Leaning partially on the bar counter with his elbow, Graham noticed a beautiful chestnut haired woman with astonishingly bright hazel eyes sitting beside him, sipping her fruity cocktail drink.

She noticed him right away as he stepped up to the bar.

She watched him for a minute as he looked back over his shoulder to the crowded nightclub. Following his eyes, she tried to find _which_ woman had this handsome man's attention.

"Keeping an eye on your girlfriend?"

Graham snapped his eyes from the dance floor watching Buffy to the beautiful woman with a soft Russian accent beside him. "Uh-what?"

"You look like you're vatching someone pretty closely. Girlfriend?"

"Nah," Graham shook his head. "No girlfriend."

The beautiful woman smiled with satisfaction and turned her body towards him, letting him get a look of her. She wore a form fitting dress that went well above her thighs. With his eyes, Graham followed the length of her well toned and tanned legs to her sandal stilettos shoes.

Lifting his gaze back up to her face, Graham flirtatiously smiled at her.

"Hey, Tommy." called out Graham.

Tommy the bartender looked at Graham from over his shoulder.

Graham gestured to the the beautiful woman's empty glass. "Can you also get me whatever fruity drink she's havin'?"

Tommy chuckled, "Yeah, yeah."

The woman returned Graham's flirtatious smile and held out his hand for him to shake. "Tatiana."

"Tatiana." Graham repeated her name with a smile and took her hand. "Pretty name. I'm Graham."

"It's nice to meet you, Graham."

"Your accent… Russian?"

Tatiana's smile widened, "You are korrect."

"What's a beautiful Russian like yourself doin' in Cleveland, Ohio?"

Leaning forward, Tatiana looked up at Graham under her long eyelashes and replied, "Anything is better zan Siberia."

Graham chuckled and held up his beer bottle, tapping it against her martini glass, "I'll drink to that."

* * *

Walking off of the dance floor, Brad spun Buffy around then pulled her closer into his body.

She girlishly grinned up at him as they stepped up to the table where Xander had sat alone waiting for Graham's return from the bar.

"Nice to see you again, Xander," Brad held out his hand for Xander to shake.

Xander looked at the phony detective and shook his hand. For the life of him, he didn't understand Buffy's interest in this man. Sure, he was a handsome guy with dark short brown hair, dark eyes, and an athletic build. But Xander did not like Detective Brad Dalton, mostly out of loyalty towards Graham.

"You're all alone?" Buffy adorably pouted looking for their friends.

Faith was still on the dance floor, now surrounded by a group of men as she danced around. Willow and the woman she had met earlier in the night followed Buffy and Brad to the table.

"Where's Graham?" asked Buffy, wondering where he could possibly be.

"Bar," answered Xander.

Still smiling, Buffy turned her eyes to the bar.

Xander watched Buffy's smile slowly fall from her face as she watched her secret crush flirt with an insanely beautiful woman. Buffy's lips pursed together as the woman threw back her head in laughter and touched her hand against Graham's muscular chest. Graham leaned forward and whispered something into the woman's ear that only made her smile grow.

Xander recognised that look on Buffy's face. It was the same look Graham had worn when he watched Buffy one the dance floor with Brad.

Turning his eye to the redhead standing across from him, they shared a mutual look. They both were well aware of Buffy and Graham's obvious attraction towards each other. It was so apparent that there were genuine feelings between the friends and roommates, but for some reason, both Buffy and Graham were denying each other's true affections.

"Buffy,"

Buffy snapped from her silent jealous rage battling inside of her as she watched Graham charm that beautiful woman. She was well aware just how deceptively charming Graham Miller could be.

First, he'd draw you in with his bright icy blue eyes, almost hypnotizing you into submission. The second thing he'd do let that alluring but captivating smirk slide across his handsome face. He'd then take a step forward and then a step backwards, a rocking motion, letting you come to him. She had seen him do that with a few women in the last five months. Graham was not a womaniser, but he always wasn't a Saint either.

Buffy turned to Brad, circling her arms around his waist, "Dance with me." Without letting him answer first, Buffy pulled him back out onto the dance floor.

* * *

Graham flicked his eyes to the group at the table just in time to see Buffy wrap her arms around Brad's waist then pulled him back out to the dance floor.

Refocusing his attention, Graham looked at Tatiana and seductively licked his lips, letting his 'Charming Man Smile' Buffy had once dubbed to the beautiful woman at the bar.

**Morning**

**West Side of Cleveland: DeLuca Luxury Apartments: 11th Floor: Apartment #314: Kitchen**

Two _Eggo_ waffles popped out of the toaster.

Graham pulls them out and drops them onto two separate plates placed on the counter.

Buffy moves around him, grabbing the two plates on the counter and moving them to the counter island.

Moving around each other like a practiced dance, Graham held two milk cartons in his hands. One of the milks was labelled 'Skim' and the other '2%'. He poured the milks simultaneously into two separate coffee mugs.

Stepping around Graham holding two forks and syrup, Buffy went back to the counter island just as Graham moved to put the milks back into the refrigerator.

Buffy takes a seat at the counter land as Graham leaned against it.

Graham teases her by stabbing his fork into one of her pieces of _Eggo_ waffle. Buffy's brows pinched together as she frowned at him with annoyance. "Hey! Leggo of my _Eggo_."

It was then Graham had noticed Brad standing at the kitchen entrance watching the pair as they gracefully maneuvered around each other.

Buffy had noticed Graham's complete behavioral change and realised they were no longer alone. She was about to turn to see who had interrupted their moment of carefree when two hands touched her shoulders and a pair of lips pressed to the back of her neck.

"Morning, gorgeous," Brad walked over to Buffy wearing an easy smile across his face.

Graham sneered with disgust.

Brad ran a hand down her back with a smile.

"Good morning," Buffy returned his smile and touched his chest. Mindlessly, Buffy slid her fingers over the buttons of his white dress shirt a little bit saddened that he was already dressed again in his suit. "You're wearing clothes again," she pouted adorably.

Brad smirked at her, lowering his eyes down the front of her spaghetti strap tank top and noticed her pajama pants, he then said, "So are you—although, you're not wearing much, thank God."

Graham wanted to vomit. He flicked his eyes upwards to see Brad whisper something into Buffy's ear quiet enough for him not to hear it. But whatever it was, Buffy seemed slightly embarrassed by it as her cheeks turned red and her eyes went large as she nervously laughed.

"Am I going to see you again soon?" asked Brad, with a look of hopefulness on his handsome features. "Maybe tonight?"

Thinking for a moment, pretending to be mulling over her casual 'sort of—but not really boyfriend' date offer, she teased, "Well, if I move that round then that'll leave me at least a few hours to _squeeze_ you in."

Brad smiles. "I look forward to it." He lowered his head kissing her. "I have to head to the station. I'll see you later tonight." Brad pecked her lips with his own.

"Tonight," Buffy reaffirms.

"I'll see you later, gorgeous." He kisses her one more time then slaps a hand on Graham's shoulder.

Graham coolly snapped his glaring eyes at his roommate's casual fling with heated aggravation. Brad smugly grinned at the retired Army Special Forces officer. The Detective knew Graham had some sort of feelings for Buffy, and he thoroughly enjoyed rubbing his relationship with the beautiful Vampire Slayer into her roommate's face. Ever since they had worked together, Graham's intense disdain towards him was apparent to everyone except to Buffy.

Brad smirks at Graham and turns away leaving the apartment.

Buffy turns her attention back to her breakfast and Graham when the front door of the apartment closes. She frowned, noticing the vexation on Graham's face. "What's with that face?"

Graham's expression fell, trying to hide his true animosity towards the Detective that seemed to have captivated the blonde Vampire Slayer. "What face?"

"You have 'something' face." She frowned. "What gives?"

Hesitating for a minute, Graham turned his eyes to the front door then back to Buffy. "You and _Brad_ are gettin' pretty serious."

Taken back by Graham's statement, Buffy's eyes grew large. "No, I-I don't think so… I mean, he's a nice guy." She frowned at his scoff. "What was that scoff for?"

"Nothin'." He waved her off but saw the raised brow stern look on her beautiful face. Graham released a heavy breath. "It's just… the guy is an asshole."

"N-no, he's not," frowned Buffy.

Graham rolled his neck, "Oh, c'mon, Buf! The guy only wants one thing from you and it's not tips on wiedlin' stakes."

Rolling her eyes, Buffy didn't want to believe Graham, but she knew that he was right. In fact, that was pretty much all that _she_ wanted from Brad, too. He wasn't really the 'boyfriend type'. Buffy was still unsure what she wanted out of the casual and fun relationship with Brad. They definitely had fun together but there was always something missing between them.

"I think _Brad_ seems to think you're gettin' serious. Look at the way he struts around here like he lives here."

An amused look crossed Buffy's features. "He's strutting?—And why do you keep saying his name like that?" She pressured him.

"What other way is there to say a name that's so pretentious? _Brad_ is a douche bag's name."

Rolling her eyes, "Oh my God, are you twelve?"

"Graham, darling, where are you? I miss you." A soft Russian accent calling out to him from his bedroom broke the conversation.

Smirking, remembering that he had a _gorgeous_ woman in his bed calling out to him. "Oh, that's my cue, Summers." He picked up the plate of a half eaten _Eggo_ waffles and tossed Buffy a playful wink as he exited the kitchen. "I'm just gettin' you breakfast, sweetpea." He called out to his one-night-stand.

With disgust, Buffy rolled her eyes, suddenly losing her appetite.

"Ugh, gross," Buffy's face scrunched when the sounds of Graham's date's laughter filled the apartment.

**Night**

**Main Living Area**

Walking into the apartment after a long day, all that Graham wanted to do is take a hot shower and wash away the grime from his body.

He had taken the Slayers in training on a team building scavenger hunt exercise, which took a lot of Graham's energy to keep up with the Vampire Slayers and on top of that he had a therapy session with Dr Schmidt.

Closing the door behind him, Graham ran a hand through his dark short hair and tossed his keys into the boy nearest to the door. His eyes went to the living room to find Brad sitting on the couch with a glass of scotch in hand.

Graham's brows lowered over his eyes with aggravation. Brad had gone through Graham's expensive scotches and helped himself.

Smugly smiling at the retired Army officer, Brad ran his eyes over Graham. He wore a khaki coloured tactical jacket. Underneath the jacket, Graham wore a tan coloured t-shirt tucked into a pair of combat cargo pants with a pair of military coyote boots.

"It's the real life G.I. Joe." Brad teased, taking a sip of the expensive scotch Graham had been gifted by a highly respected three-star General.

Graham scowled at Buffy's date.

Brad chuckled, finding Graham's dislike of him humorous. "Buffy is just getting ready for our date."

"Uh-huh," Graham said, trying not to acknowledge Brad all that much. He walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator for a much needed beer.

Standing from the couch, Brad followed Graham wanting to rub in his relationship with the beautiful Vampire Slayer a little bit more into Graham's face. He leaned on the counter island as he said, "I, um, hope you don't mind but I did a little background check on you, _Major Miller_."

Graham stood straight opening the beer bottle on his hand and watched Brad place a file folder on the counter.

"And why would you do that?" Graham leaned on the counter with his hands, glaring at the detective. Graham was about a head taller than the detective with a much more muscular build.

Brad smiled, "I had to make sure Buffy wasn't living with a homicidal maniac." He looked over the file. " _Major_ Graham Michael Miller. From Chicago. Dad is a contractor, Mom is a housewife. You have a brother. Star athlete on the _Saint Augustine's High School_ football team. You had a full ride to _Duke University_ but turned it down to join up with the Army." Brad bobbed his head impressed with Graham's merits of achievement. "You have quite the military resume. Retired Special Forces officer."

Graham watched as Brad opened the file and skimmed it over with a cheeky grin.

"You're a recipient of the Purple Heart, Soldier's Medal, and a Distinguished Service Cross… very impressive, _Major Miller_. How'd you get such recognition?" Brad held his chin in his hand ready to hear the epic story.

Not wanting to give Brad the satisfaction of Graham's anger towards him, Graham remained stoic and appeared disinterested. "That wasn't in your background check?"

"I'd much rather hear the story from you. Why'd you leave the military, _Major Miller_?"

A slow smirk tugged at Graham's lips, unthreatened by the detective. He knew if he wanted to, Graham could break this man in two without breaking a sweat.

Standing in the hallway heading towards the main area of the apartment, Buffy had been listening to the one-sided conversation between Brad and Graham. Feeling a bit cross towards Brad, Buffy felt on guard to protect Graham.

She could see the dark look etched in Graham's features. He was doing everything in his power to remain calm and not pulverise the arrogant detective.

"Graham," Buffy's appearance broke the tension between the men. "I thought you were going to be later." She said as she fixed the hoop earring backing. "Didn't you have an appointment with Doctor Schmidt?"

Graham forced his gaze to remain on her face and not admire the way she wore the low cut red halter top, black pants that hugged her powerful legs and high heeled designer boots. Or how her hair fell into long golden waves down her back.

Swallowing his desire for her, Graham said, "I moved up the appointment. I had free time today."

"Oh, that's great," she smiled at him.

"Have a good time on your date," said Graham, sipping the beer in hand.

Brad helped Buffy into her long black leather coat and smugly smiled at Graham as he said, "We will."

"And you with Xander." Buffy said, trying to mask her pangs of jealousy at the prospect that he'd be bringing another one-night-stand home.

Hearing him last night with that beautiful Russian woman nearly killed her. She could hear the moans and spurts of laughter coming from Graham's bedroom. She tried desperately to block it out and wished that she and Brad had arrived back to the apartment much later than Graham and his date.

She stayed up most of the night listening to them from down the hall. Brad didn't notice as he was sound asleep beside her totally sexually satisfied into exhaustion.

Graham tosses her his infamous 'Charming Man Smile', which always had the ability to weaken her at the knees. "Not too late, Summers." He winked.

Brad frowned at Graham, noticing the sparkle of attraction on Buffy's green eyes. He smirked at the retired military man. He wrapped his arm around Buffy's shoulders and began to whistle the chorus of, ' _The Army Goes Rolling Along_ ' with a smug smile.

The small smile dancing on Graham's face fell into a scowl.

**Downtown Cleveland: The Parlour Room**

Sitting together at their usual table between the dance floor and the bar, Graham and Xander shared a scotch.

"So the guy did a background check on you?" Xander shook his head. He took a sip of the malty drink and choked at the burning sensation in his throat.

Graham frowned, "Xand, I told you, you don't need to get a scotch 'cause I did, man." He laughed at his friend.

"No, no, this is great." He croaked. "I love the taste of gasoline. You never said."

"Say what?"

"Whether you kicked that pompous pain in the asses ass for digging stuff up on you."

Graham smirked, "Nah, I couldn't do that."

"'Cause he'd arrest you?"

Shaking his head, Graham smirked, "No, 'cause then _Buffy_ would kick _my_ ass for kickin' _his_ ass. Besides, Dalton won't find the _real_ dirt on me. That shit is classified."

Xander held his chin in his hand, fascinated by his friend, "That is _so_ cool. Did you at least give him a withering glare for going out with Buffy?"

"No." Graham saw the disappointment on Xander's face and explained himself further, "Xand, for the hundredth time, if I were to be angry that Buffy was seein' and… _sleepin'_ ," he felt the knife in his chest twist, "with that douche bag then that would mean that I'm jealous. I'm not jealous. Buf and I are _just_ friends. Just. _Friends_."

Xander shook his head and took another sip of the scotch in his hand. His face soured as the malty liquid burned his throat. "Bleh!" He coughed and said with a creaking voice. "I'm not buying into that, Graham." Xander covered his mouth with a fist coughing. "You're crazy about her—"

"—Crazy about who?"

Graham and Xander's head turned to see Buffy standing at the table wearing a coat with her hands stuffed into the pockets. She had a somewhat glum look on her face.

"Well, I-uh, wha—what are you doing here?" asked Xander, stuttering nervously over his words.

Graham frowned at Xander and turned his gaze to Buffy. "Yeah, where's _Brad_?"

Buffy shrugged, "I think Brad and I have seen our better days. I ended it with him."

Sitting up straight with peaking interest, Graham tried not to look so smugly satisfied. "Oh?"

"Yeah," said Buffy, climbing onto a stool to sit. "He was… not the one." She vaguely explained holding out the true reason of why she and Brad did not 'work out'. How she justified her reasonings to Brad and even to herself was his abuse of power was unbecoming. Looking up Graham's background had been the final straw.

But the honest and _true_ reason why she had broken it off with Brad was because simply Brad wasn't… Graham. Brad didn't give her butterflies at just the thought of his name. He couldn't make her laugh the way Graham could. Brad never really took the time to understand her, like how Graham did. She didn't want to stay up all night talking to him like how she frequently does with Graham. She didn't lie awake at night wishing that he was beside her, holding her—loving her.

Even if Graham didn't feel anyway romantically towards her, she couldn't keep living that lie.

"Hey, look at the time." Xander held up his wrist and began to stand from the stool. Graham frowned at his friend noticing that Xander wasn't wearing a watch. "I promised Will that I-uh, would help her with some spell thing. Okay, gotta go." Quickly, Xander grabbed his coat and practically sprinted out of the nightclub leaving Buffy and Graham looking after him with bemused expressions on their faces.

"What was that about?" Buffy asked, frowning at Xander's peculiar behaviour.

Graham shrugged and sipped the scotch in his hand, "I have no idea." he lied. His eyes shifted from Xander and back to Buffy. He ran his gaze over her, unable to fathom just how beautiful she is.

Turning back to him, Buffy lifted her chin to Graham and smiled at him.

They sat awkwardly at the table in silence, neither knowing just what to say. Luckily, a slow song had begun. Buffy took his hand and said, "Dance with me."

Graham swallowed nervously and let her pull him off of the stool and lead him onto the dance floor.

When Buffy faced him, she felt a wave of a tingling shock, feeling his body heat radiating off of his body. Their eyes lowered to their hands joining together. Buffy slid her hand up his bicep to his shoulder and raised her gaze to look up at him from under her long lashes.

Unable to help himself, Graham pulled her a little closer into his front. This was possibly the only time that he would ever get Buffy _this_ close to him again. He wanted to take advantage of the feeling of having her in his arms.

" _Erase the facts_

_The shit was flyin' outta the window_

_I painted blue_

_I paint the whole room_

_When it's time to get in trouble_

_We know just what to do_

_The screen door swayin'_

_Now baby, gimme something to live for_

_I been a fool_

_I been a fool_ "

They swayed to the song not at all able to think of anything but how good and _right_ it felt to dance together, holding each other close.

Buffy laid her head on his chest. Closing her eyes, she felt at peace and protected.

A smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. He lowered his head, taking advantage of her close proximity and buried his nose into her long blonde hair. Also closing his eyes, Graham inhaled the citrus scent of her hair into his lungs.

Lifting her head off of his chest, Buffy looked up at him again.

Their eyes locked together.

Falling into the hypnotising depths of his piercing blue eyes, Buffy's lips parted, unable to think and barely able to breathe.

Lowering his gaze to her parted heart-shaped glossy lips, Graham lowered his head slowly, giving her ample time to push him away.

With a ghost touch, Graham's lips finally touched hers in a hesitant kiss.

As fast as the kiss happened, it was over—much to Buffy's disappointment.

Opening her eyes, she saw him staring back at him with the same uncertain furrowed brow. Tilting her chin a bit higher, Graham understood her silent communication and lowered his head, kissing her again, but this time, the kiss held a passion they both had craved for.

Her mouth opened giving Graham permission to slip his tongue into her mouth. Buffy slid her hands up his strong arms, over his shoulders, and around his neck.

Finally kissing him, Buffy never wanted it to stop. His lips were soft and moist, he tasted like scotch but Buffy didn't mind.

Slowly, the passionate kiss broke. They did not stray too far from each other as their foreheads rested pressed together.

Graham opened his eyes and felt the world spinning around him, unable to believe that this was actually happening. For months all that he thought of were her perfect lips. He was half expecting her to shove him away when he first planted a kiss over her lips, but she didn't push him away.

In fact, she released a small whimpering sigh when he broke their first kiss.

They shared a smile.

**West Side of Cleveland: DeLuca Luxury Apartments: 11th Floor: Apartment #314**

"Mmm…" moaned Buffy into the kiss as they staggered through the apartment door.

During the car ride back to the apartment, they had tried to stay civilised because the alternative would end them crashing into a telephone pole amidst another make out session.

Graham kept his hands firmly on the wheel, his eyes staring forward. Never once in their four mile drive did he steal a glance at Buffy—no matter how much he wanted to. One look at her and it would 'game over'.

Buffy kept her hands firmly on her lap. Whenever she felt the urge to reach out and touch him, she squeezed her hand into submission.

Once parked in the parking garage, Graham turned the ignition key and dropped his hands unsure what to do next.

He followed Buffy's lead and silently got out of the car.

They closed the car doors and met each other at the back of the car when Buffy practically jumped him. Her mouth crushed against his, looping her arms around his neck. Graham immediately responded to her kiss, shoving his tongue into her mouth.

Graham's hands slipped inside of her jacket, holding her hips then slid his hands up her back.

* * *

Now inside from the twenty minute journey from the car to the apartment entrance then to the elevator, down the hall from the elevator, and finally reaching the apartment door, the trek seemed like it was never ending.

Graham kicked the door closed behind them, and turned Buffy to pin her against the door with the front of his body. Graham held a hand around her wrists over her head and continued to kiss her.

Graham's mouth veered from her lips and went to the column of her neck. Dropping the hand holding her wrists, he caressed her cheeks before running them through her hair.

Buffy let out a moan and laid her hands on his chest, opening his coat to push off of his rounded shoulders. She pulled off her own coat and carelessly tossed it onto the floor.

The need to breathe grew persistent, they pulled apart.

Graham looked at her completely in love, although he was uncertain whether she wanted this—truly wanted this.

Without needing him to say a word, Buffy understood his thoughts. She touched her hand against his chest and stepped into him.

Their mouths met halfway, joining together as they fervently resumed kissing.

Graham wrapped his arm around her petite slender frame and brought her close into him. She began to pull at his t-shirt, wanting it off. She felt Graham's smile at her impatience against her mouth.

Returning his smile, Buffy sucked on his tongue and opened her eyes to see him looking back at her.

Sliding his hands to down her back, over her buttox, and to the backs of her thighs, Graham took her by surprise as he lifted her off of the ground like a featherweight. Her legs circled around his waist, crossing her ankles.

Without tripping, Graham carried her to the first bedroom that they would pass, which would be Buffy's.

**Buffy's Bedroom**

Practically kicking the door down, Graham carried her into the master room she had claimed when she moved in with her sister.

Setting her down onto the floor, they continued to heatedly kiss and began to unfasten each other's clothes, when they had realised that if they separated getting naked would be much faster.

Graham pulled off of his t-shirt and threw it aside and began to unbutton the front of his jeans when he caught Buffy looking at him.

The smirk dancing on his face slowly fell, noticing that she was looking at the long scar on the right side of his body, beginning at his right lower quadrant to his oblique.

She knew exactly where he had gotten that injury that must've been so painful. It made her sad that not only was he left with the mental scars of those months imprisoned and tortured but he carried it on his body.

Without thought, Buffy reached out to him and with the tips of her fingers, she gently traced the rigid scar on his skin.

Graham took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her palm. Buffy slipped her hand from his grasp and held it to his cheek. Stepping closer to him, Buffy stroked his bristly cheek with that half smile that drove him crazy. Her fingers combed through his short hair. Buffy's hand then touched the back of his head, lowering it to meet her lips again.

Moving his hands under her halter top, Graham lifted it up her body and over her head. His eyes followed the halter top slipping from his fingers to fall to the ground. He looked back at her and lowered his gaze to her breasts.

Nervously, Buffy bit her bottom lip, unconsciously giving him an incredibly sexy look. A wolfish smirk tugged at his lips. Graham reached out and palmed both breasts in his hands.

Stepping closer to him, Buffy hooked her arm around his neck and lowered his head to kiss him again as he squeezed her firm breasts.

He broke the kiss and smothered her breasts with gentle kisses. Buffy threaded her fingers through his hair.

She released a moan when his tongue wrapped around her rosy nipple. He alternated between both breasts, showing them equal amounts of affectionate thoroughness.

They separated again, this time to remove their shoes and pants. Graham lifted his eyes to her face as she shimmed her tight black pants down her powerful legs.

Graham's cock sprang free from the confinements of his jeans. Buffy couldn't help but chuckle as he comically kicked out of his jeans.

When he looked at her, his entire face brightened hearing her soft laugh.

Standing straight, Graham took a small step closer and wrapped his hand around the back of her head, pulling her forward into his front.

Buffy happily looped her arms around his neck and welcomed his kiss, finding that she rather loved kissing him. His lips were so soft and his taste was addictive. Kissing him didn't feel new. It was odd but she felt as if she'd kissed him a hundred times before.

Enclosing his strong arms around her naked body, Graham stepped her back to the edge of the bed.

The backs of her knees touched the bed. Buffy untangled herself from him and sat down on the edge. Graham pushed her hair from her face and cupped her cheek as he stepped between her legs.

Circling an arm around her lower back, Graham shifted them higher up the bed and laid her back onto it.

Buffy opened her legs, allowing him to settle between them. Her hands slid up his strong rounded shoulders.

Graham released a moan as her fingernails gently scratched over his skin.

Tilting her chin higher, Buffy gave him easier access to her neck. He peppered her golden skin with moist kisses and his tongue followed an invisible path along her neck. He paused for a moment, lifting his head from Buffy's neck noticing a vampire bite mark over her sternocleidomastoid muscle. He ran the pad of his index finger over the two bite holes and turned his blue-eyed gaze to meet hers.

Buffy took his hand touching the scar on her neck and placed a kiss on the pads of Graham's fingers then looked at him.

Falling into a deep trance of her eyes, Graham kissed her again.

Reaching a hand between their bodies, Graham touched her center, feeling her moisture.

He listened to her sharp breath catch in her throat as he inserted a finger into her cunt. Her hands shifted from touching his back to circling around his neck, pulling him even closer to her.

Mercilessly teasing her, Graham smiled into their kiss as she moaned, begging for him to take the next step and fill her with his cock.

Graham carefully slid his finger from her cunt, strategically bringing her close to orgasm. Buffy released a whimpering whine.

Grinning at her, Graham gripped his erection and led it to her opening, sliding inside.

Graham clenched his jaw, never having felt such a sensation before. Her supernaturally strong body gripped his thick appendage.

He managed to maintain control as he slowly pulled almost all the way out before roughly slamming inside her to the hild. Buffy cried out in a pleasured moan and bucked back, but Graham kept his slow pace, drawing out their desire as much as possible.

Soon, they were slamming against each other, completely drowning in their passion.

Without warning, Buffy rolled him onto his back. She took Graham's hands and covered her breasts with them as bounced up and down on him. With her hands on his thighs, Buffy leaned back, her eyes closed and her back arched, Graham took hold of her hips and thrusted up inside of her. Using the pad of his thumb, Graham manipulated her clit bringing her closer to orgasm.

Her strong vaginal muscles clenched around him. Graham held his arm around her waist and twisted them to lay her onto her back.

Buffy's fingernails dug into his shoulders and cried out in a moan. Graham buried his face into the crook of her neck using the last bit of control he had left to hold out his own pleasure before she reached her own.

She arched her back and let out a loud moan as a wave of climatic pleasure soaked her entire body in a euphoric bliss.

Graham released himself deep inside of her body and collapsed over her, breathing heavily. He kissed her shoulder and moved his lips along her collarbone before covering her mouth with his own again.

After a few minutes, Graham shifted off of her and took his place at her side, holding an arm around her shoulders. Buffy laid her head over the breast of his chest.

Sated and satisfied, Buffy and Graham shared a few soft kisses before falling asleep in each other's arms, not at all thinking about the morning that would soon follow.

**Early Morning**

Yellow morning light streamed through the windows, lighting up every inch of the bedroom, which only reminded Buffy that she hadn't shut the blinds the night before.

Burying her face deeper into the pillow, Buffy squeezed her eyes closed—not quite ready to be away yet.

The sudden whiplash of memories from the night before played like a supercut in Buffy's mind.

Her eyes shot open and the hinting smiling that was touching her lips slowly fell as uncertainty covered her face. She suddenly rolled over to find that the man that she was with the night before was gone.

She wraps the sheet around her naked body and sits up in bed. Her eyes fell to the floor to see her clothing in a small pile. Taking a deep breath, Buffy tried to not feel disappointed, but she was. Finally a man that she felt true and _very_ real feelings for had come into her life only to abruptly leave after one night with her.

Her biggest fear was coming true.

She could deal and come to terms to the fact that Graham didn't want anything else from her other than friendship but anything remaining of her close, trusting, and much needed friendship with Graham was over. They had crossed that line and there was no going back.

Opening her eyes again, Buffy noticed a dark blue t-shirt on the ground amongst the pile of her clothing. She reached down, over the side of the bed and put on the oversized t-shirt.

Buffy covered her nose with Graham's t-shirt inhaling his scent.

The shuffling of bare feet walking on the wooden floors turned Buffy's attention to the partially closed door.

She watched the door open and Graham entered the bedroom holding two mugs of coffee.

Unable to stop herself, Buffy smiled at him, silently thanking whoever was up there for bringing him back.

He walked over to her, shirtless and only in a pair of jeans. Graham set the coffee mug into her hands and then stepped around the bed to sit down beside her, against the backboard of the bed.

They sat together in a strange silence, unsure what to say to one another at the moment.

Buffy watched the coffee steam swirl as it left her cup, she turned her gaze to Graham, trying to see what he was doing without drawing any attention.

Graham quietly sat beside her, his long legs extended out with one ankle crossed over the other. He sipped the coffee in his hands, seemingly unbothered about any of this.

Repeatedly, Buffy opened her mouth to say something but then snapped it closed, unsure what exactly she should say.

Graham caught her opening her mouth then snapping it closed again. He frowned, "What is it?"

Buffy's brows pinched together as she looked at him, "Um… What happened last night?

Looking at her with surprise, Graham asked, "You don't remember?" He began to smirk, remembering perfectly what had happened last night. It was the best night of his life. The sex was great and the woman he was with was… well, she was perfect. A dream— _his_ dream.

Blushing, Buffy placed the coffee on the nightstand and tried her damnedest not to look embarrassed. "Yes, I remember—Duh, of course, but _why_ did it happen?"

"Uh, I dunno why," he shrugged as he placed the coffee mug down on the nightstand beside him, "but, I'm glad it did."

Buffy looked at him, desperately wanting him to say more. Graham realised this and felt deprived of the words of how to describe how last night and Buffy— _herself_ made him feel.

"I dunno what to tell ya, Buf. Do I regret last night?—No. Absolutely not. I wanted it and I wanted you—I still want you." He looked at her and admitted, "Buf, I'm crazy about you."

Buffy's lips tugged into a smile, "You're crazy about me?"

"Yeah, Summers, I am." Graham returned her smile. "But, I'd like to note that you are without a doubt the most insane—moodiest human bein' I have ever met in _my life._ " He pushed a piece of her hair behind her ear. "I have completely fallen for you."

"You've fallen for me?"

Graham slid a finger from her ear down the line of her jaw to the tip of her chin. He leaned closer. Buffy anticipated his kiss and felt disappointed when it did not come.

"I'm serious, Buf." He told her. "I want you and I want whatever happens next."

Wordlessly, Buffy pushed off the thin sheet covering her naked legs and straddled his lap. Her wrists draped around his neck. She wanted to moan as his hands held at her hips for a moment then slid down to her thighs, sneaking underneath the hem of the t-shirt.

"I want you and whatever happens next, too."

Graham cupped her cheek with his hand.

Lowering her head closer to his, Buffy watched his handsome brighten with a smile that was contagious. She looked into his eyes then covered his mouth with her own.

Yes, this is what they wanted indeed.

_**Song Used: "Womanizer" by Britney Spears** _

_**Song Used: "Window Blues" by Band of Horses** _


	5. Chapter 5

**4 Days Later**

**The Council Headquarters: Lower Level #5: The Pit**

With his hands firmly clasped behind his back, Graham walked between the lines of a new batch of Slayers in training preparing to be deployed in various locations across the world.

It was his task to make these young women combat-ready before being released from _the Council Headquarters_ and its training facility.

The women broke off into partners, grappling one another on the ground. Graham quietly inspected each Slayer and nitpicked every move they made. One wrong move would kill them.

He stopped mid-step and watched as one Slayer hooked her leg around her partner's neck and switched their positions, giving her the advantage.

"Stop."

Both girls immediately stopped wrestling and broke apart. Huffing for breath, the young Slayer's looked up at Graham from under their sweaty brows.

"You're dead. You gave her the advantage," he told the Slayer.

"Sorry, sir."

"Don't be sorry. Be better." Graham looked at the girls. "Do it again and watch that openin'. You give the enemy a sliver and they'll take a mile."

"Yes, sir." The girl said then shifted to her feet and crouched down ready to wrestle her partner to the ground again.

Graham started to move on within the lines of the Slayer's when he felt an outside presence in the training facility. He looked up to see Buffy standing at the Pits entrance holding her arms across her chest.

She observed the girls training and turned her gaze to reach Graham's from across the room.

They stood at a distance away from each other, staring at one another for what seemed like a long time.

Graham watched as Buffy then turned away heading back out of the Pit.

Lowering his gaze to the girls wrestling on the ground, Graham resumed overseeing the training session, holding his hands behind his back as he confidently walked through the rows examining each Slayer carefully.

**Upper Level #4: Buffy's Office**

Seated at the large executive desk buried in a pile of documents that she had been pushing off for weeks, Buffy opened the first file folder addressed to her from the Pentagon.

For some months now, Buffy had been on the telephone with the Secretary of Defense. The United State government wanted full integration with _the Council_ , but Buffy was hesitant, remembering the last time Buffy had 'integrated' with the government. It was a failed experiment ending with many lives lost.

Buffy had also had similar propositions from other countries around the world like, China, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Japan, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Russia, and every other country in the world.

It was a large decision Buffy was not ready to make just yet.

Sitting back in the large black leather chair, Buffy released a heavy sigh. She held her head in her hand, suddenly terribly disinterested in all of this. These were the moments she wished she was still in Sunnydale fighting vampires, demons, and every an occasional hellish apocalypse. Those times seemed so much easier.

_Knock! Knock! Knock!_

Buffy frowned at the visitor.

Standing from the chair, Buffy crossed the room to the closed office door and opened it to find Graham leaning on the door frame on the other side.

A low soft half smile crossed her heart-shaped lips suddenly feeling so much better.

Graham stepped into the large office and closed the door behind him before wrapping a strong arm around Buffy's back, holding her close into him and crushed his mouth against hers.

It's been nearly a week since Buffy and Graham had first slept together and now, they struggled to keep their hands off each other. Sneaking as many kisses as they could before anyone noticed them was an exciting game they had been playing.

Unable to wait until the end of the day, Graham needed to see her now. As soon as the training session ended, he thought of some sort of excuse to get out of lunch with Xander and see his new but _secret_ girlfriend.

They had not been together long at all, but Buffy was already so sure that this was the best relationship she's ever been in. They flowed so well together. They had already known so much about one another but that did not make anything less exciting.

Buffy had discovered how much she liked kissing him. She loved how his lips felt against hers and how his tongue explored every crevice of her mouth as if it were the first time. She loved how his hands felt on her body—touching her all over. He was always touching her.

Leading her backwards towards the black leather couch across the large office, Graham happily continued kissing her, shoving his tongue into her mouth.

Buffy took off the hat sitting on the top of his head and tossed it away. She began to tug at his t-shirt, untucking it from his grey tactical cargo pants.

Finally reaching their destinations on the couch, Graham laid her down. He opened her knees and pushed the pencil skirt up her golden legs. Graham snapped her thin panties apart as he eagerly tried to take them off.

Smiling, Buffy closed her eyes as Graham's hands held her lower back as he buried his face between her legs. He spread her lower lips with two fingers and slipped his tongue between them, lightly flicking her clitoris before closing his lips over her swollen nub. He sucked hungrily on it. Crying out Buffy's hands were in Graham's hair. He slid his tongue inside her, savoring the taste of her nectar.

"Oh God, Graham… yes…" she moaned mindlessly, as she shook with desire. She was so close.

Graham softly bit down on her clit and pushed Buffy over the edge into a climax. She screamed as her body jerked uncontrollably. Grinning at his success, Graham lapped up her juices.

When she stilled, he lifted his head from between her legs and shot her a sultry smile that made her want him all over again.

"C'mere," she beckoned him to come closer.

Graham did as told and crawled up her body, lowering his head, capturing her mouth in a searing kiss.

Buffy could taste her juices on his tongue.

Her mouth was on his neck, kissing him, and nipping his skin with her blunt teeth.

Placing her hands flat on his chest, Buffy gently pushed him off of her. Buffy wordlessly got off the couch and knelt between Graham's legs.

She looked at him as she unfastened his belt around his waist. Graham watched as her thin and feminine fingers unbuttoned the front. Pulling his hands lower down his thighs, Buffy smiled when his erected cock sprang free.

Buffy wrapped her hand around his shaft and all of the breath left his body released as he watched her slowly stroke his length with her tiny and yet lethal hand.

She stared down at her hand, seemingly fascinated, before softly kissing the mushroom tip, which elicited a desperate moan from Graham.

To keep his hands from touching her, Graham held his arms spread out over the back of the couch. He rested his head back on the couch enjoying very much what she was doing. Buffy glanced at his face before sliding her mouth down over his length as far as she could.

Graham released a moan as she swallowed more and more of his length until her nose was buried in the rough dark hair that surrounded his genitals.

Buffy moved her hand to his balls, gently squeezing his sac and making him thrust up to her mouth. She handled it well, allowing Graham to have more control, sliding himself in and out of her mouth, feeling his orgasm swiftly approaching.

"Buf, I… I'm gonna…"

She sucked hard on the head of his penis.

Graham groaned releasing himself inside her mouth. Buffy swallowed it eagerly, lapping up every last drop.

Catching his breath, Buffy crawled back up his body, straddling his lap. She then placed kisses on his neck and chin before their lips met once again.

They sensually kissed.

For the time being, they were sexually sated; enabling themselves to make it through the rest of the day but they had both looked forward to the night.

Holding his face between her hands, Buffy loved his arms hugging around her, understanding the mutual feeling of not wanting to at all let go of one another.

It was so easy to recognise the cliff she was standing on the edge of. In honesty, she hadn't felt the _worth_ of cliff diving into love for anyone since Angel. She had never felt like that for Riley. She had once thought that perhaps she had felt like that for Spike, but it was more like a mirage.

She was desperate for that illusion to be real, that it had taken her sometime that, that was all it was—an illusion of love.

But with Graham, it all felt different.

Shifting off of his lap, Buffy sat at his side, comforted by the feeling of his arm wrapped around her shoulders, hugging her into his side. Buffy sat beside him with her legs tucked underneath her.

Resting her head on his chest, Buffy embraced the few precious moments of quiet before he'd have to go and attend the next training session and Buffy had to force herself to concentrate on work instead of thoughts of her new boyfriend.

"I thought you were meeting Xander for lunch?" Buffy tilted her head upwards to look at him.

Typically, she and Graham had lunch together, but today Xander and Graham had planned on spending some time together over a slice of pizza. Something between then and now changed and here Graham was— _not_ having lunch with Xander.

"I dunno about you, but my lunch was very _tasty_."

Buffy groaned with disgust and playfully swatted his chest with her hand, which made Graham throw back his head in a fit of laughter.

"I saw you standin' in the doorway and I couldn't stop myself from wantin' you. So, I made up some excuse to Xander and here I am."

"You ditched your best friend for me?—How sweet," Buffy slid her finger along his sharp jawline, loving the feeling of his light beard growing on his cheeks and around his mouth and chin.

Graham tightened his arm around her, hugging her tighter. "I gotta keep my girl happy."

Buffy's heart fluttered when he called her 'his girl'. "I like that." She watched the tip of her finger touch his neck.

"Like what?"

Buffy lifted her green-eyed gaze to his face and softly said, "Being your girl."

Gently smiling at her, Graham covered his mouth over hers. He felt her smile against his mouth and returned it. Despite their short time together from their months of getting to know one another, to becoming very close friends, and now their budding romance, this was the happiest Graham has ever been in his entire life.

He's in love with Buffy Summers. It's as simple as that.

**Night**

**le Labyrinthe**

Yellow dim lights glowed over the full restaurant. Large windows wrapped around the elegant French restaurant. Mixed with the soft murmuring chatter was gently live music playing in the corner.

Sitting at a booth, Buffy and Graham sat close.

Buffy's hand was wrapped around Graham's elbow. She buried her face into his shoulder laughing at the small joke.

Picking up the fork, Graham small scoop of the popular sweetened chestnut dessert and held the fork to Buffy's mouth. "Try this," he told her and fed her the dessert.

With a smile, Graham watched as Buffy's eyes closed in delight. "Oh, my God! Mmm. Oh, my God. That might be the best thing I've ever had in my mouth."

Graham chuckled and leaned into her ear to whisper something for only her to hear.

Buffy's eyes widened and her face reddened with embarrassment. She withdrew her head and tried to fight the smile forming across her face.

She couldn't hide her happiness. Being with Graham only for the few short days since taking the next step in their relationship, Buffy held no second thoughts. She was certain that this was exactly what she wanted. Buffy was in love again, but, she wouldn't tell him—at least not yet.

It hadn't been a week yet.

Buffy knew what she felt for this man. It was beyond attraction. It was beyond caring deeply for someone—Buffy was in love.

It was a love she hadn't felt in a very long time. With Spike, she tried. After the destruction of Sunnydale and then the final showdown with _Wolfram & Hart _in Los Angeles, Buffy and Spike decided to give a romantic relationship a real chance. For nearly two years, she tried to love him. She tried very hard but it just wasn't there and he understood. Spike understood her better than anyone—even better than Angel, but she didn't love him. Not in the way Spike deserved.

After Spike and a few more failed relationships, Buffy was beginning to be convinced that she was destined to spend the rest of her life coasting through an endless limbo of dead-end relationships. And that she had found her 'once in a lifetime' love in Angel and it was never going to happen again.

And then out of the blue, Graham waltzed back into her life. And what he brought with him was something so unexpected. He began as a subordinate that happened to be living with her. They would have awkward talks that were easy and innocent. Buffy called this 'the getting to know you' period.

After Graham had quietly revealed the emotional trauma of his months of imprisonment by vicious demons in the jungle, there was a turning point for them. Their talks became much more intimate and soon they were revealing parts of each other that no one else knew.

Buffy found it terrifyingly easy to talk to him. All he did was listen to her.

Somewhere between then and the night Graham finally kissed her, Buffy fell in love with him. She feared revealing her feelings to him, not wanting what they already had to be ruined—especially because she wanted more. She was willing to just be his friend, despite her affections for him.

When he kissed her, Buffy saw a burst of wondrous technicolor.

Buffy's eyes darted around his handsome face. She had noticed him looking at her oddly.

"What?" She asked, with an increasingly smile.

"You got a little somethin' somethin'," he pointed at his lips, though his bright blue gaze was on her mouth.

Buffy moved to pick up a napkin when Graham stopped her.

"Allow me," he touched underneath the tip of her chin with his index finger knuckle.

Her hot breath hit his face as he leaned in closer and covered his mouth over hers in a sensational kiss that curled her toes.

The music and the chatter fell away as they kissed. It was slow and soft in ways that words could never be. The knuckle touching her chin slid up the line of her jaw and caressed her cheek, as their breaths mingled.

She wanted to touch him. She wanted to run her fingers down his spine and pull him closer until there wasn't space left. She wanted to feel his beating heart against hers.

**Outside: le Labyrinthe**

Walking down the sidewalk, heading into the direction of _the Parlour Room_ , Xander glanced into the expensive restaurant with a tinge of jealousy that he was single.

With a small bit of self-pity, Xander was about to walk on when his eyes landed on a familiar face. _Graham?_ Xander wondered as he peered into the restaurant.

He had known Graham was going out tonight. Earlier in the day Xander had invited his friend out tonight to meet with Willow and Faith, but he had declined saying that he had a date.

Xander ran his eye over the blonde he was with and sighed heavily. He aggravated him that Graham had the eye of the _perfect_ _woman_ and he was wasting his time with some one-night-stand. It was infuriating how thick headed and stubborn his friends were.

Rolling his eye, Xander was about to walk on when he caught a glimpse of a wooden stake sticking out of his date's pocket.

Frowning, Xander faced the window, ignoring the pair of eyes on him from inside the restaurant and narrowed his limited gaze on the woman Graham was with. It was then, Xander recognised the woman Graham was kissing was Buffy.

Willow had told him over the phone that Buffy wasn't going to be coming out tonight because she was going out herself, but she wouldn't say where.

**Inside: le Labyrinthe**

Not realising it, Xander's feet brought him into the fancy French restaurant.

Ignoring the host, Xander followed the path to Buffy and Graham's table.

It had taken them a few minutes to realise that they were no longer alone. Breaking the kiss, Buffy and Graham turned her eyes to Xander's shocked face.

Buffy straightened up, removing her hand from around Graham's arm and cleared her throat. "Xander, what are you doing here?"

"I was just passing by—You two are kissing." He stated, wagging his finger between them. "How long has that been going on?"

Graham looked at Buffy, who shrugged finding it pointless to lie. Turning his gaze from his new girlfriend to Xander, Graham replied, "Almost a week."

"Oh." Xander frowned, thinking about it for a minute and realised that they must've gotten together the night he abruptly left the nightclub. " _Oh…_ " he slowly nodded his head. "So this is real then? Like you guys are together-together?"

Buffy caught Graham's eyes and gently smiled at him. "Yeah, we're together-together." she confirmed.

Xander clasped his hands together, "Can I get a 'hallelujah'? About damn time!" He smiled at his friends, genuinely happy for them. "I'm gonna go and let you two finish your date. Will is going to be so excited when she hears about this—"

Xander began to turn away when Buffy said, "—No!"

Graham frowned and looked at the blonde.

Xander turned back to Buffy wearing a look of confusion.

Buffy avoided Graham's questioning gaze and said to Xander, "Please, don't say anything. Not yet."

"Why not?" Graham asked.

Looking at him, Buffy laid her hand over his and gave it a small squeeze. "Because for now… I just wanna bask in the 'Guffy' bubble. I don't want it popped yet."

Graham smirked at her, "Guffy?" He took her hand that was on top of his and brought it to his lips, kissing her knuckles.

Leaning in closer, Buffy pressed her lips against his, totally forgetting that they weren't alone and that Xander stood at the front of the table, watching them with a lopsided smile on his face.

Quietly, Xander backed away, not wanting to break the romantic moment between his two friends.

**5 Weeks Later**

**West Side of Cleveland: DeLuca Luxury Apartments: 11th Floor: Apartment #314: Kitchen**

Graham stood at the counter island tossing the salad in the large mixing bowl as Buffy sat on the other side of the counter island staring at the laptop in front of her.

Flooded up to her neck in paperwork, Buffy was forced to bring work home—something she truly hated doing. At home, she didn't want to think about work. This was her time to unwind and spend a little time with her boyfriend that she felt she never gets to see.

Graham lifted his gaze to her face and smirked, finding her look of concentration utterly adorable. Her brows were pinched together, nose slightly scrunched, eyes squinted, and her mouth pouting into a frown.

Turning back to the stove, Graham turned off the burner and used the oven mitts to carry the hot boiling water with noodles inside to the sink to pour it into the strainer.

Buffy barely noticed anything around her, except for the work in front of her. She quickly typed an email addressed to the world leaders and their secretaries of defense. Buffy still had not come to a decision about integrating their forces to make one large and _united_ special force across the world.

Buffy does not tolerate the world conflicts—especially if it would interfere with her people. If this were to happen, Buffy would have to seriously put her foot down to these egotistical world leaders that thought of themselves as Gods amongst men.

She would also need to firmly make the separation between this special force and everything else in the world. There were no politics involved. She was the leader and that was it. In this world of supernatural, _Buffy_ was the leader and if these world leaders couldn't deal with that and rejected her help, then she had no choice but to let those countries fall.

Graham lowered the laptop cover until it touched Buffy's hands, forcing her to stop typing.

She shot him a steely glare.

Smirking at her, Graham placed the plate of spaghetti with marinara cause down beside her and the small bowl of salad. "Take a break and eat somethin'." He told her.

Releasing a heavy sigh, Buffy did as told and closed the laptop, pushing it aside and picked up her fork.

Graham replenished her wine glass and sat down beside her.

"I have a decision to make," Buffy began.

Graham quietly waited for her to continue.

"I've been getting letters from all across the world from every country you can imagine all stating that they want to join forces with us—To make one united Special Force that is more powerful than the Snow Leopards, Special Boat Service, the GIGN, Sayeret Matkal, Spetsnaz, or even the Ghosts… This would be the most powerful military collaboration on the planet and it would be united under one leader—Me."

Graham thought about its potential for a minute and on paper, it sounded great and powerful, but he could easily understand Buffy's apprehension. "You're worried about the world leaders?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "This would be totally separated from the normal military and politics. The men and women selected wouldn't necessarily be 'a part' of their country in this Special Force. For example, if I integrated Ghosts with _the Council_ as the pentagon wants, then Ghosts wouldn't be an _American_ thing anymore. It would be _the Council's_. The President doesn't have any say in anything regarding the new Ghosts."

"And you're worried about countries like North Korea, Russia, the Middle East, and Africa, right?"

Buffy slowly nodded, "Right. If they reject us then we can't help them. I'm not going to force anyone to take our protection."

"But when the world is on the verge of ending…?"

"Then…" Buffy heavily sighed, "... I'd have to step in."

Rubbing a hand on her back, Graham pressed his lips against her shoulder.

"What do you think?" She asked.

Taking a deep breath, Graham looked at her and said, "I think one united force of _the Council_ and the elite military that specifically fights against the Hellmouth is one hell of an idea. Have you discussed this with Giles yet?"

"Briefly."

"I think you should actually have a sit down with him and really talk about this."

Buffy sighed heavily and frowned, "Yeah, you're right." She turned her chin to look at him and leaned closer into him, softly placing a kiss over his lips. "Thank you."

Graham pushed her long hair from off of her shoulder and kissed the side of her head before continuing to eat the spaghetti place in front of him.


	6. Chapter 6

**3 Weeks Later: Early Morning**

**West Side of Cleveland: DeLuca Luxury Apartments: 11th Floor: Apartment #314: Kitchen**

Slouched on the counter, Graham held his tired head in his hand as he waited for the coffee to finish brewing.

His eyes were closed, still not quite awake for the morning.

Dressed in army green tactical cargo pants, a t-shirt, and boots, Graham stood straight and lazily tucked the t-shirt into his pants. He ran through the list in his head of everything he had to do before the first training session—which was a very early one. He was going to surprise the girls in their dorm rooms and pound on their doors to get them out of bed.

When the coffee finished brewing, Graham poured the bitter black liquid into the cup placed in front of him.

He looked over his shoulders hearing strange sounds.

Placing the coffee cup down on the counter and followed the strange sound into the master bedroom, he had since moved into.

Graham noticed the bathroom door completely closed. He frowned and stepped over to it and wrapped his hand around the doorknob.

Slowly opening the bathroom door, Graham frowned and flicked on the light with his hand to find Buffy slumped over the toilet bowl.

Her stomach contracted violently as she heaved again into the toilet. The stomach-acid of vomit filled her nostrils and her eyes were watery when she dry-heaved again.

Stepping further into the bathroom, Graham crouched behind her and placed a hand on her back as she vomited again into the toilet.

With the back of his hand, Graham touched her sweaty forehead. He ran his eyes over her, she looked paled and miserable.

"I'm… I'm fine," she weakly swatted his hand away from her.

"No, honey, you don't seem very fine." He told her, pushing her hair off of her shoulder.

"I'm just feeling a little nauseous. It's probably something I ate."

Graham frowned, they had eaten the same exact thing last night and he felt perfectly fine.

For days, he's been finding her in the bathroom and her head in the toilet. And for days, he told her to go and talk to _the Council's_ in-house doctor. Buffy refused, insisting that there was nothing wrong with her.

"Why are you bein' so stubborn?" He smirked at her, taking a seat on the bathroom tiled floor and rubbed his hand in circles around her back.

"No…" she told him weakly, pushing him away, "... I'm gross right now."

Chuckling, Graham pressed his lips against the back of her neck. "I don't care," he muttered into her ear.

"Well, I do. Get off of me." Buffy weakly pushed him away again then threw her head over the rim of the toilet, vomiting the remaining contents in her stomach.

Rubbing his hand in circles around her damp back, Graham hated that she felt so ill. He would do anything to make her feel better.

"Buf, you should really see the doctor."

Buffy groaned.

Shifting closer behind her, Graham rested his chin on her shoulder, "I'll go with you. I'll be right there."

There was a long silence. Graham half expected her to grimace at him but instead, she surprised him.

Leaning back, Buffy rested her back against his chest, letting him hold his arms around her. Graham kissed the side of her head and held her firmly—careful not to press on her queasy stomach.

"Okay," she mumbled tiredly, closing her eyes. She no longer possessed the energy to reject his recommended suggestion. "Hold my hand?"

Graham softly smiled at her meekly voice and whispered into her ear, "I'll never let go." His eyes dropped to their joined hands.

**The Council Headquarters: Medical Facility: Examination Room 1B**

Nervously twisting her fingers around, Buffy stared at the closed door waiting for the doctor to return with the test results.

The doctor had taken a sample of blood from Buffy's body and assured the Vampire Slayer that it would be only a matter of minutes to find out the test results with the enhancement of magics to push the process along.

When a medical instrument fell to the ground with a loud thunk, Buffy turned her eyes to Graham as he picked up the medical instrument. Sheepishly, Graham looked at her. Her eyes pierced straight into him, he placed the medical instrument on the counter with a nervous gulp.

He crossed the short distance over to her and wrapped his hand around hers. Buffy rested her forehead against his shoulder and felt comforted by his lips pressing to the top of her head.

The door opened.

Buffy and Graham immediately shot their attention to the doctor entering the room.

Doctor Ritter looked at the couple and softly smiled at them, finding their 'deer in the headlights' look quite humorous.

"Miss Summers," Doctor Ritter began, "I have your test results but I can come bac—"

"—No, no," Buffy shook her head, tightening her hand that was wrapped around Graham's. "Whatever you have to say, you can say it in front of Graham."

Doctor Ritter's gaze landed on Graham. A tight smile tugged at her mouth. "Very well." She opened the file folder in her hand and passed it over to Buffy and Graham to look at.

Buffy held the sheet of paper in her hand and frowned, not at all understanding what the graph lines and numbers meant. "I…" she looked at the doctor, "... I'm sorry, but I don't understand what this means."

Doctor Ritter took a step towards the couple and pointed at the graph. "This is the results of your blood work, Miss Summers. It appears that you do not have a stomach bug after all."

"Then what's wrong with her?" Graham frowned with concern, feeling Buffy's tension as she nervously squeezed his hand. "Flu? Food poisonin'?"

"Neither, Mr Miller."

Graham took the paper in Buffy's hand in search of the prescription information. "Well, if you can just give me the prescription, I can run to the pharmacy and—"

"—Buffy isn't sick, in fact, she's very healthy."

Buffy looked at the doctor, "Then what is it?"

"Miss Summers," Doctor Ritter lowered her gaze to the blonde Vampire Slayer, "you're pregnant."

Buffy and Graham stared blankly at the doctor, for what felt like hours. Their minds slowly wrapped around the word 'pregnant'. Neither could breathe or think about other than the word 'pregnant'.

Graham opened his mouth to say something but no words came. He snapped his mouth shut and turned his eyes away. His mind went into overdrive.

"I-I thought it was th-the flu?" Buffy stuttered. "Run the tests again," she demanded.

Patiently, Doctor Ritter smiled at the younger woman. "I ran them twice, Miss Summers and I assure you, you are pregnant."

"I can't be pregnant." Buffy frowned, shaking her head.

Graham looked at her with a deepening frown, unsure how to take the almost hostile tone in her voice.

"Miss Summers—"

"—No," Buffy said firmly. "I can't be pregnant because I've died— _twice_! Something must have happened to my body in the process of being resurrected again, right? Doctor, this has to be a mistake."

Doctor Ritter gently smiled at the blonde, "Miss Summers, I assure you, you are a very healthy twenty-seven year old woman. Your body is functioning perfectly normal."

Stilling standing at Buffy's side, Graham broke from his racing mind and looked at the doctor. "How far along is she?"

"I would say about six weeks," answered Doctor Ritter.

Quietly, Graham nodded his head and sunk back into his racing mind. He leaned back on the edge of the counter and crossed his arms over his chest.

"I will give you some time and then we can schedule another appointment in four weeks. Congratulations, Miss Summers and Mr Miller." Doctor Ritter excused herself from the examination room.

Buffy watched the door close. Her eyes turned to Graham. He was quiet—much _too_ quiet in Buffy's opinion. She hated when he was this quiet. It is so difficult to read him whenever he was this quiet. In fact, in many ways, Graham was even harder to read than Angel ever was, but Buffy knew when Graham was this quiet, he was lost in deep thought.

She could see it now. By the furrow of his brow and the thin line of his tightly pressed lips, Graham was lost in his own head.

"Pregnant…" Buffy couldn't believe it. It didn't seem real. "I-I still don't understand how this happened."

Graham raised his gaze from the abyss in front of him and shifted to his girlfriend. "We weren't exactly careful." He told her in honesty; thinking back to all of the times they've passionately made love. In the heat of the moment, lost in their desires to be together, all thoughts of protection went straight out the window.

"Yeah, I guess," Buffy said, wearing a look of dismay. Her eyes were on him, watching his every move as he rubbed a hand over his face. "This isn't what you want." Buffy had a sudden fear of Graham leaving her and this baby.

Snapping his gaze to her face, Graham frowned—offended by her off handed comment. "What the hell does that mean?"

"I mean what I said, this isn't something that you want—Me and a baby."

"I didn't say anythin'."

"You don't need to. Your thoughts are practically screaming 'this isn't what I want!'"

Confused, Graham pinched his brows together. He pushed himself from the counter and stepped in front of her. He took her twisting hands on her lap into his own. "You're no psychic, Summers. 'Cause if you were then you would actually know what I was thinkin'. And what I was _actually thinkin'_ was…" Buffy swallowed, "... we should make the room next to the master bedroom the nursery. It would be easier to hear our baby that way." Buffy let out a breath, feeling her throat clog with emotion. "I was also makin' a list in my head of everythin' we're goin' to need for our baby. We gotta get a crib, a changin' table, a dresser, a stroller—but I'm not sure what kind." Graham frowned. "A baby shits like five times a day—So we're gonna need diapers in bulk. It would be easier to use some kind of delivery service…" he told her as he thought aloud.

Buffy looked at him with moist eyes, so grateful for having this man in her life.

His hands tightened around hers as he said, "Buf, I want this. I want you and I want our baby more than anythin'."

"You sure?"

"In my entire life, I've only been ever _sure_ about exactly _two_ things. The first is you. I just knew you were gonna be the best thing to happen to me." Graham watched her cheeks redden with embarrassment. "I am so in love with you, Buffy." He brushed the tear that had slipped from the corner of her eye and cupped her cheek.

"What's the second?" Buffy sniffled.

With Graham's free hand, he laid it against her flat stomach. A smile tugged at his lips. "The second is our baby."

Buffy unleashed a tearful smile and welcomed his kiss as her arms looped around his neck, hugging him tightly.

Holding a hand against his cheek, Buffy sniffled again and opened her eyes to his face. "I love you, too." And she meant it. It did not take her long at all to fall deeply in love with this man.

It surprised her how quickly it's all happened. They were friends, then they turned into lovers, and now, they were going to be parents. Buffy felt like her life was moving at lightning speed and she didn't want it to stop. For the first time in God knows how long, Buffy was excited about the future. She was excited to have a man she loved and a baby on the way.

 _Finally_ , Buffy thought to herself, _something good._

Graham covered her mouth in a searing and passionate kiss, welcoming the exciting joy of having a baby with the woman he was in love with.

If someone were to tell him six months ago, that he would be not only having a sexual relationship with his best friend's girl, the fearless and beautiful Buffy Summers but they would be in love with each other and now, they were expecting a baby together, Graham would've laughed in their face.


	7. Chapter 7

**West Side of Cleveland: DeLuca Luxury Apartments: 11th Floor: Apartment #314**

"When are you goin' to tell them?"

Buffy lifted her head from the magazine she had been reading on the couch. She looked at Graham from across the apartment, standing at the counter island pouring milk into the cup of tea he had prepared for her.

Buffy frowned, catching the hurt look flash across Graham's face. "Not yet."

Graham carried the cup of tea in one hand and a beer bottle in the other.

"Thank you," Buffy accepted the tea as Graham sat down.

"Buf, before we know it, it's gonna be really hard to hide your belly. And they're gonna wonder who the guy is that knocked you up."

"Jeez," Buffy frowned with an impish smile, "you make it sound so raunchy."

"Honey," Graham began to smile, "the things we do together are pretty raunchy. You are _very_ adventurous." He teasingly winked at her. "Which is _great_ for me," Graham said, sitting back and taking a sip of the beer in his hand.

"Shut. Up." Buffy's cheeks reddened with embarrassment.

Graham looked at her. "Seriously, Buf, they're gonna find out sooner rather than later." He removed his arm from along the back of the couch when a thought entered his mind. Graham solemnly lowered his gaze to the beer bottle in his hands. "Do you not want to tell them 'cause you're embarrassed of me or somethin'?"

"What?" Buffy frowned and put the tea cup down on the coffee table. "No, _of course not_." She shifted closer to him and circled her arms around his neck. "I'm not embarrassed of you or-or ashamed—in fact, sweetie, I am very, _very_ proud to be with you. I just want to tell everyone in my own way. What about us?— About the baby… Do you want everyone to know?"

With a chuckle, Graham said, "Summers, I wanna shout it from the fuckin' rooftops. I want everyone to know. I want everybody to see the woman I love carryin' _my_ baby." He rubbed a hand over her flat stomach. "Absolutely."

"Will this shouting off the rooftops be in the direction of Riley?" Buffy asked, the smirking smile on Graham's face slowly fell away. "Right…"

Graham rubbed a hand over his face and tried to explain himself, "It's not like I'm hidin' you or that we're together, it's just…"

"You don't want to hurt him?"

"The guy was madly in love with you, Buf. If he knew that not only are we together and happily in love but we're havin' a baby…" Graham shook his head, "I-I couldn't hurt him like that." Rubbing a hand over his face, Graham released a heavy sigh, "I know it doesn't make any sense and that he's moved on but… It doesn't matter how well you moved on with your life, a cut like that—from someone you were in love with it still hurts, y'know?"

Buffy understood his reasonings. To show him that she understood, Buffy held a hand to his bristly cheek and nodded, "You tell him in your own way, like how I'll tell the gang in _my_ own way. But just so you know, Miller, I am madly in love with _you_."

Graham took her hand touching his cheek and brought it to his lips, "Right back atcha, babe."

"I do want them to know," Buffy told him, pressing her forehead to his. "I want everyone to know."

A small smile twitched at Graham's lips. He closed the small space between their mouths with a soft kiss, taking his time to savor the feeling and taste of her lips against his own.

**The Council Headquarters: Lower Level #1: Library**

Entering into the redbrick, Victorian library, Buffy moved her eyes around the large room in search of Watcher's doing their studies.

There were a few students sitting at long tables, with their noses buried deep into the demonology textbooks.

Buffy's gaze landed on Giles standing at the library's help desk. He was looking through the stack of books, which had aided him in his own research.

Inhaling a deep breath, Buffy pushed herself from where she stood and crossed the long distance between her and the help desk.

As she passed, a few heads lifted from the books and looked at Buffy with startled large eyes. The Watcher's that were in training were startled to see the Vampire Slayer in the library, since she was rarely spotted in such a place. Most of her time was spent either locked away in her large executive office, travelling to secret locations across the world for various meetings, or down in the Pit.

Giles lifted his head from the books he was checking back into the library and gently smiled at his former charge. "Oh, Buffy," he said, genuinely happy to see her, "it's good to see you."

"Yeah," she tried to smile at him, but her nerves were getting into her way. "Um, Giles, I came here for a reason."

"Oh?" He closed the book that had been opened in front of him and gave her his undivided attention. "What is your reason then?"

"Well, you." she answered. "You're my reason."

Giles' smile slowly fell with concerned uncertainty. "Is everything alright?"

"Um…" she looked around, feeling the eyes of the Watchers' studying on her back, "... yeah. Can we talk?—In private. I-it's important."

Pinching his brows together, Giles frowned, "Of course," he stepped out and around from behind the help desk. He held out his hand, gesturing to the back office.

Buffy closed her eyes, forcing herself to push past her nerves and talk to the Watcher. She followed Giles into the large office.

**Giles' Office**

Crossing the cherry wood office, Buffy's eyes moved around the beautiful and masculine room. Books aligned the shelves that wrapped around the office. A large cherry wooden desk sat at one end of the office.

Buffy followed Giles to the fireplace and sat down in light brown leather chairs.

She sat down and watched Giles move to the drink chart. He poured himself a small glass of scotch and looked at Buffy silently offering her some.

Shaking her eyes with amusement, Buffy declined and instead, Giles poured her a glass of water.

"Now," Giles began as he sat down with his drink in hand and smiled at Buffy. "What is that you wanted to talk about?" He asked, taking a sip of the malt whisky.

Putting the glass of water down beside her on a small table set in-between them, Buffy looked at the older man and cleared her throat. "Um…" she looked down at her rubbing hands, "... As you know for the last few weeks I haven't been feeling well."

Giles slowly nodded, without vocally responding.

"I went to the doctor and she did a few tests and, uh…"

"What is it?" Giles asked.

Buffy lifted her eyes to the Watcher's face and felt utterly terrified. She suddenly left like a sixteen year old again just about to be scolded by her father.

"Buffy?"

Buffy swallowed and opened her mouth to say, "I'm pregnant." Her gaze fell away from his face, unable to take the look of disappointment on his face.

After a minute, Buffy lifted her gaze back to Giles' face and saw that he was softly smiling at her. It was the reaction she had expected at all.

"I assume Graham is the father."

Buffy blinked with genuine surprise, "Yeah—How-how did you know that?" She asked with utter bafflement.

Giles wolfishly smiled with a low chuckle, "It was only a matter of time between you two. Anyone could see that."

"Really, you knew?"

"Not yet, but," Giles placed the scotch glass on the table beside her water and looked at her, "I see the way he looks at you. Even a blind fool could recognise his affections for you."

Buffy looked down at her hands in her lap, unable to help the smile on her face.

Giles watched his Slayer gently smile. It was a look of love that was etched into her features, it was a look he remembered well, but a look that rarely ever showed on her face. "I know only one other man that could make you smile like that. It was before you truly knew the evils of this apocalyptic world in which we live."

Instantly, Buffy understood who he was talking about—Angel. It was getting harder to remember, but there was a time before the collapse of Sunnydale, before her second and much more permanent death, before the utter heartache, a time before she knew of a curse that would ruin and change _everything_. Buffy was innocent to her destiny's horrors.

That time was harder to remember that now, but she recognised that air of innocence in her relationship with Graham. It was easy, filled with love, and understanding. It excited her and made her feel good and confident about herself.

"I have to ask," Giles' voice took her from her thoughts as she looked at him again. "Does he make you happy?"

Her throat clenched with emotion, feeling as if she could cry for the actual joy that she felt in this last month. "He does. We haven't been together long at all but," she paused then said, "Graham makes me happy. I love him."

Giles smiled at her with fatherly approval.

"Now, I have something to ask you," she began. "Could you—I mean, _would_ you be the grandfather to this baby?"

Giles' heart fluttered in his chest. He felt overwhelmed with emotion, touched by the gesture.

He reached to her hand and wrapped into his own. "I would be honoured."

Tearfully smiling at the Watcher, Buffy gave his hand an affectionate squeeze.

**Lower Level #4: Armory: Firing Range**

Aiming the modified military issued Beretta M9, in which Graham had let weapons department engineers or 'squints' as Graham fondly nicknamed them.

With a few squints standing behind him holding clipboards, Graham closed one eye and fired the pistol at the target.

_Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop! Pop!_

The target on a reel came forward, as Graham checked the bullets in the magazine.

"Wooden bullets," Graham looked at the weapon engineers behind him.

"It's state of the art, sir," one of the engineers said. "We are using this Beretta M9 as well as a few other guns as prototypes for the future of our weaponry. I know, Miss Summers is not fond of guns but… with someone of your expertise and _experience_ with firearms would be a great use for us."

"Agreed." Graham aimed the pistol in his hand again and fired at the target when the gun range door opened.

Giles stepped into the room and watched Graham fire the altered gun at the target with perfect aim.

Sensing that someone else had entered, Graham turned to see Giles standing at the door. Wearing a look of surprise, Graham was half expecting to see Buffy standing behind him,

Looking at the squints, Graham nodded for them to leave.

The engineers scurried out of the gun range, leaving Giles and Graham alone.

"You have very good aim," Giles said, stepping forward as Graham turned his back to him and took apart the modified pistol with great care.

"Uh, thanks," Graham said and released a breath before turning to face the older man. "I guess Buffy talked to you."

A small smile twitched at Giles' lips. "How could you know that?"

"'Cause since I've been here, not once did you ever come talk to me on your own."

"I apologise for that," Giles put his spectacles back on.

Graham shrugged, "Nah, don't be. I could've tried too."

Giles gave the former Special Forces officer an appreciative nod, "Very well. Buffy came to me and told me tha—"

"—I know, you don't think I'm the guy for her or-or that I might leave her or somethin' but I won't. I love her. I'm gonna do right by her and our baby."

Smiling softly, Giles looked at the man that had captured his Slayer's heart carefully.

Giles removed his glasses and took out a handkerchief from his pocket and began to clean the lens. "On the contrary of what you may think, I happen to think you are rather very good for Buffy."

Graham frowned with surprise, "You do?"

"Yes, I do." Giles looked at the blue-eyed military man and slipped his glasses back on. "I don't need to tell you that Buffy has not had the easiest life since she was called. In fact, life has been rather very cruel to her. She has been betrayed by her closest allies and she's been forced to make sacrifices that no one should ever have to make. Her trust has been violated too often. And her faith in love and in life has also been desecrated too many times for a woman of her age. She tries hard not to show it but she's been walking in a black mist for some time."

"And you think I'm good for her?"

Giles nodded with a kind smile, "Yes, Graham, I think you are very good for her because for the first time since she was seventeen years old, Buffy is happy. She is genuinely happy. And I do not think it's presumptuous to say that you, Graham are the main reason for that. You have restored her faith in love. You have given her something to not only look forward to but to _believe_ and _trust_ in again. Thank you," he told the younger man.

Graham stared at the Watcher, unsure what to say. More than anything, he felt determined to make Buffy happy. "She's helped me, too. Loving her…" Graham lowered his gaze down to his hands, "... revived me. She brought me back to life."

Taking a step towards his surrogate son-in-law, Giles laid a hand over Graham's shoulder and gave it a small squeeze. "Perhaps, Graham, this is where you were meant to be all along."

"That's what I think too." Graham tossed the older man a small smile, accepting Giles' quiet approval.


	8. Chapter 8

**15 Weeks Later**

**West Side of Cleveland: DeLuca Luxury Apartments: 11th Floor: Apartment #314: Living Room**

Seated on the couch, Buffy's short legs were outstretched, resting on the coffee table. One hand rested on her growing belly as she mindlessly stared at the television, lost in her mind.

Beside her, Graham lounged back with one hand wrapped around a beer bottle and the other, outstretched around Buffy's shoulders.

Turning her eyes to him, a small smile tugging at her lips couldn't be helped. It amazed her how long she and Graham lived without one another. It hardly seemed possible that they lived a life separated—barely on each other's radar.

Feeling her gaze on him, Graham ripped his eyes from the television and tightened his arm that was around her shoulders, pressing her into his side. He leaned closer with the intent to kiss her forehead but instead, Graham kissed her lips.

Brushing her fingertips at his lips, Buffy lifted her eyes to his face wearing a look of desire. Graham recognised the look floating in her bright green eyes and felt a jolt of excitement.

Since the news of the baby their sex life had not taken a hit—not in the least. For weeks after first finding out, neither Buffy or Graham could keep their hands off of each other. It is partially because they were still in the beginning throws of a new romance and the other part, their pure excitement for their little tyke coming to the world, which would be the living and breathing evidence of their love.

As Buffy's belly grew, Graham felt a strange mixture of masculine pride and complete desire. He reveled in the jealous looks from other men as they walked together in public. Graham wanted to shout it from the rooftops—or at least rub it in every man's face that Buffy was _his girl_ and she was carrying _his child_.

Never before had he ever felt such a need to 'mark his claim'. He had always found it barbaric when other men did that. But he couldn't stop these strange feelings.

* * *

Putting the glass beer bottle in his hand on the floor, Graham slightly shifted to rub his hand over her growing belly. He felt her smile against his mouth as they continued to lightly kiss.

From the baby fruit size application on Buffy's cellphone, their infant was the size of an apple. Earlier in the week, she had felt the baby fluttering in her belly. Graham joked that perhaps the baby was doing Slayer-infused somersaults.

Buffy laughed along to the joke but quietly confided in Graham and revealed that she was terrified. What if the baby would be a Slayer? Could the baby be a Slayer? How can she and Graham raise a child in their world of supernatural?

Ever the voice of reason, Graham had her explain again how Vampire Slayer's were chosen and then he took this to Giles—swearing him to secrecy that the Watcher wouldn't tell Buffy that Graham had voiced her concerns. Of course, Giles agreed and gave Graham various books of the Slayer's origin and how they were chosen from a big world of young girls and women. Now that Willow had broken the chosen Slayer legacy, the Slayer would immediately show signs of power.

Giles took it upon himself to reassure the new parents that the likelihood of their child being a chosen Slayer was slim to none. The child of a Slayer was never chosen.

Relieved to hear this after Graham had explained it to her, Buffy did feel much better, but the fears of exposing their child to the world of its purest evils still weighed heavy on her.

* * *

"Let's go to bed." whispered Buffy nuzzling her nose against his.

Graham smiled with a nod and was the first to stand from the couch, followed by Buffy. She picked up the remote on the coffee table and switched the television off before letting Graham take her hand and lead her to the bedroom.

**Master Bedroom**

Standing together in the dim lit room, Graham was the first to shed his clothing by taking off his t-shirt. With an appreciative gaze, Buffy touched his muscular torso before placing a kiss over his beating heart.

Threading his fingers into her long blonde hair, Graham steered her face back to his and feverishly kissed her. Slipping his tongue into her mouth, Graham could taste the honey tea she had been drinking only minutes before in the living room.

Unbuttoning the front of his jeans, Buffy released a laugh as Graham awkwardly struggled to toe off his boots and then kick off the jeans. Looping her arms around his neck, Buffy pressed her front into his when Graham gently pushed her back.

Frowning at the loss of his closeness, Buffy brushed off her disappointment as she realised that Graham wanted her to begin removing her own clothing. As she undressed, Graham removed his black boxer briefs, now standing fully naked.

Impatiently, Graham assisted Buffy in removing the rest of her clothing. He hooked his arm around her back and lifted her slightly from the floor to walk them to the bed.

Laying her down, Graham's mouth parted from hers and he began to pepper her golden tanned body with kisses. His hand cupped her breast with a smile. Graham was sure the best thing about the pregnancy—besides the child was Buffy's growing breasts. He's always loved her body. It was slender, strong, well proportioned but despite all of that, the growth of her breasts was just an added bonus.

His mouth covered over her erected rosebud nipple. Swirling his long around the nipple, Buffy let out a moaning sigh.

Graham took his time and gave each of her breasts the same amount of thorough attention. He placed a kiss on her swollen belly and traveled back up the length of her petite body to cover her mouth with his own.

Shifting to settle more comfortably between her legs, Graham reached a hand between their bodies and gripped his hardened erection, directing it to her welcoming center.

As he entered her body, Graham suddenly paused with a look of apprehension on his face.

Detecting his abrupt change of demeanour, Buffy opened her eyes with a concerned frown, immediately feeling self-conscious that perhaps he found her changing body unattractive.

"What is it? What's wrong?" she asked.

Graham let out a breath, unsure how to explain himself. He looked at her face then down at her growing belly then back to her face. "I can't go any deeper." Graham said, with a breath of disappointment.

"What? Why not?" Buffy's brows furrowed together.

"Because," he looked down at her stomach, "if I do, then I'll poke the baby in the face."

When Graham looked back up his girlfriend, he could see the mixture of confusion and humour written across her face.

"Honey, that is ridiculous," she told him with a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Graham frowned, insulted by her lack of concern. "No, it's not. And another thing," he shifted off of her, to sit on his knees, "I'm crushin' the baby in this position."

Picking herself up to lean on her elbows, Buffy shook her head, "Graham, the doctor said everything would be fine. Couples have sex all the time when their pregnant."

"It's not safe. The baby doesn't have a shell to protect it."

"A shell?" Buffy's face twisted bewilderment. "Graham, the baby is very safe. Now, come back over here and kiss me."

Unconvinced, Graham looked at her belly and shook his head. "I can't do it."

Exhaling a heavy sigh, Buffy then suggested, "What if I go on top?"

"That could work." Graham agreed and moved to lay down on his back as Buffy straddled over top of him.

With his hands on her hips, Graham's blue-eyed gaze dropped from her face as she reached between their bodies to direct his cock to her center and landed on her baby bump.

Reading the look on his face, Buffy rolled her eyes. "What is it now?"

His eyes stared unwaveringly at her stomach as he said, "This isn't goin' to work either."

"Why not?"

"All I can see is our baby bein' poked in the face with my dick."

"Graham, you're nowhere near the baby."

"I'm not so sure about that."

Raising her brows high up her forehead, Buffy smirked, "You're awfully full of yourself."

"Insultin' my dick size isn't gonna make not want to do this anymore," he cheekily said, earning a eye roll from Buffy.

Shifting off of him, Buffy sat on the bed, while Graham began to slide off of the bed to stand on his feet.

Rubbing the back of his head, Graham looked at her. "Turn around," he instructed. "I'll go from behind—doggystyle."

"No," she raised the arch of a manicured brow and crossed her arms over her chest.

"No, not like a dog, it's just the style. We do it all the time."

"I don't want to go doggystyle," argued Buffy.

Graham exhaled a heavy breath of frustration, "C'mon, Buf, please. I'll make it really worth your while."

Scoffing, Buffy unraveled her folded arms and began to turn around, propping herself up on her hands and knees.

Graham wrapped his hand around her hips and easily slid into her body from behind. Releasing a moaning breath, Graham closed his eyes, delighted by the tightness of her body as it wrapped around his cock.

Thrusting in and out of her body, Graham felt the exhilarating build of a climax. He listened to Buffy's breathless moans and asked if what he was doing felt good for her. She responded with a moan.

Leaning over her, Graham wrapped his hands around her bouncing breasts and kissed the back of her neck feeling the closeness of an explosive climax.

Meeting his thrusts, Buffy reached her hand down her body and rubbed her clit. Squeezing her eyes closed, she was very close.

Without warning, Graham's thrusts hastily stalled to a screeching halt.

Frustrated, Buffy looked at him from over her shoulder and angrily asked, "What the hell is it now?"

"I can't cum."

"Why not?" The anger in her voice was evident.

"'Cause it'll splash all in the baby's face. I don't want the first thing my kid sees is my dick pokin' at its face or my cum splashin' in its face."

Buffy buried her face into her hands, "Jesus Christ," she cursed under her breath. "You've seriously lost it." she said, getting off of the bed and reaching for one of Graham's old UC Sunnydale t-shirts from the floor that she frequently wore for bed.

Watching her move about the room, Graham frowned, as she tidied her hair into a messy hair bun at the top of her head and head out of the bedroom.

"Where're you goin'?" He asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed with a pout on his face.

"Since we're _clearly_ not going to accomplish anything tonight, I'm going to make tea."

Graham couldn't blame her for being fed up with him, but it still didn't stop the whining in his voice. "But-but, I wanna have sex."

"Use your hand," Buffy said, over her shoulder as exited the bedroom, leaving Graham alone sitting on the rumpled bed with a deepening frown on his face.

Graham looked down at his tall standing cock and grumbled as he wrapped a hang around the shaft to finish himself. This was not at all how he had envisioned the night but the imagery of his penis poking the baby in the face and splashing his cum all over it wouldn't leave his brain.

"Shit," he muttered and vigorously jacked himself off with annoyance.

**Next Afternoon**

**The Council Headquarters: Upper Level #4: Outside: Buffy's Office**

Hating how awkward the rest of the night was last night, Graham spent the morning trying to figure out how he could possibly make it up to Buffy. He was afraid she might've taken his lack of performance last night as a way of saying that attracted to her now that she was getting bigger.

Graham found it ridiculous that Buffy could ever have those thoughts because she was very beautiful. Graham was well aware of how fortunate he was to have the love of this spectacular woman.

* * *

Heading to her office, Graham caught the eye of Andrew standing at a filing cabinet as he walked closer to the closed office door.

Andrew frowned and turned from the metal cabinet to tell Graham not to enter into the office but it was too late.

**Inside: Buffy's Office**

Entering into the office without first knocking, Graham ran a hand through his short hair and said, "Summers, about last night… it wasn't anythin' you did. It was me. I just couldn't get the image out of my head of my di—" Graham lifted his head to see that Buffy was not alone in the large office.

She sat at the head of the conference table with Giles and several leaders from around the world also seated at the conference table. All of their eyes landed on Graham as he stood in the background, white faced with embarrassment.

Buffy looked at him wide-eyed and mortified. Standing from the conference table, the men stood up as well and sat back down when Buffy walked over to the Graham, and grabbed him by his elbow to pull him aside, towards the office door.

"Oh, shit, I'm sorry, I completely forgot that you had a meetin' today," whispered Graham, annoyed with himself for having not only forgotten about this very important meeting but embarrassing the woman he loved in front of them.

"You have to go," she told him quietly, guiding him towards the door.

"I know, I know. I'm just sorry and I feel like crap about last night and—"

"—Don't even worry about that." She told him. "We'll try it again later."

Graham felt an air of relief that she wasn't upset with him. But the longer he looked at her the more he wondered if she was just saving face in front of the most important world leaders on earth.

"I mean it," she said, seemingly reading his mind. "Now, go, please." Buffy opened the office door pushing him out.

Just as Buffy began to close the door, Graham faced her. "I love you," he quickly said.

Buffy gave him a small half-smile and replied, "I love you, too. Now go."

Graham chuckled as she closed the door in his face.

For a minute, Graham stood still at the closed office door, letting himself process everything that had just happened to him. His cheeks flushed with embarrassment for having humiliated Buffy like that in front of literally the world.

He took a step back from the door and caught Andrew looking at him. Graham frowned, "You could've warned me."

Andrew smirked, "And miss the sheer joy of your embarrassment, I think not." He mercilessly teased Graham and watched as he walked out into the hallway.

Andrew's eyes dropped to Graham's backside and admired his handsome beauty before chuckling to himself and went back to work.


	9. Chapter 9

**40 Weeks Later**

**West Side of Cleveland: DeLuca Luxury Apartments: 11th Floor: Apartment #314: Living Room**

With the laptop on her lap, Buffy sat on the couch with her legs propped on the coffee table and a pillow under her lower back. Nine months pregnant and terribly uncomfortable, Buffy tried her damndest to concentrate on the documents she needed to edit before it was too late and the baby would be born.

_Crash! Bang!_

The sounds of struggle in the nursery room down the hallway made Buffy flare up with frustration. She snapped her glaring eyes down the hallway. Two weeks later, Buffy was irritated by everything around her.

Pursing her lips together, Buffy lowered her eyes back to the laptop and typed a few sentences when more crashing sounds echoed off of the wall, angering the Vampire Slayer.

Slamming the laptop closed, Buffy tossed it aside on the couch and unraveled her legs from their tucked position and awkwardly stood from the couch with one hand on her lower back that was in pain.

Marching down the hallway, fanning herself with her hand, Buffy stepped into the nursery room.

**Nursery Room**

Graham stood in the center of the room with the disassembled pieces of a wooden crib laid out all around him. He had opened the large instruction map. His brows pinched together trying to decipher the instructions when he sensed someone else in the room behind him.

By the heavy huff in her breath, Graham knew that his already short circuited girlfriend was on the warpath. Deciding to just ignore her, Graham remained focused on the instructions. He was not in the mood for one of Buffy's unjustified reprimands. He tried so hard to remain patient and unbothered by her interchangeable moods. Graham knew that she was terribly uncomfortable. She wanted the baby out of her body. And since he was the man and was not suffering like she, of course, he'd be her scapegoat.

Slowly, Graham faced her and lifted his head from the instructions. "How the hell did China take over the world with instructions like these?" He asked in hopes to lighten her mood. "None this makes sense."

"Well, if you purchased the _already_ assembled crib like _I_ wanted then you wouldn't be doing this now. No, but, _you_ wanted to feel _useful_ or whatever so you get this and decide to wait until the _very_ last second to assemble the damn thing."

Graham frowned, not really taking offense to her biting words. He couldn't argue with her because it was true. It was he that wanted this classic wooden crib to assemble. Millions of fathers—including his own father did it so Graham figured that he could too. "I can do this, Buf," he told her. "I'm the father. And father's build shit." He frowned turning the map around in his hands.

Rolling her eyes, Buffy turned away from when water suddenly spilled at her feet. She paused and looked down, stunned. "Graham," she called his name.

With his back facing her, Graham continued to stare at the instructions. "The square piece is supposed to fit into the circle piece? Nah, that's not right." He mumbled to himself trying to configure the assortment of pieces in front of him.

"Graham…" Buffy said his name again, looking at him from the doorway. Her hand on her large belly and the other on the doorframe. Squeezing her eyes closed and gritting her teeth, the shooting pain felt crippling.

"Nah, Summers, I got this. These pieces are supposed to fit." He held the pieces in his hand and looked down at the instructions. "' _Use the screw to hold pieces together'_." He read aloud and picked up a triangular piece that matched the picture in the instructions and frowned. "That's not a screw."

" _Graham_!"

Graham whirled around with anger on his face, " _What_?"

"My water broke."

His eyes widening in shock, Graham immediately dropped the pieces he had been struggling with. "What? Oh, my God. Uh, okay. Okay. Okay. Accordin' to the birthin' class, you gotta be calm. Right! Right. Uh... I should, I should…" he comically panicked, forgetting everything that he and Buffy had planned for when this moment happened.

Breathing hard through another construction, Buffy said, "Get the car!"

"Get the car. Right. Okay. I'm, I'm gonna get the car. Yeah. Yeah, good idea. Keys! I need keys." Graham ran to the front door patting his jeans in search of the car keys.

"Wow. Men are so not made for this." Buffy stared at him, mystified by his panic that would've amused her any other day, but, now all that she could think about was getting to the hospital.

Graham ran around, checking everywhere he could think for his car keys. "Where are my keys? Where the hell are my keys? Don't look at me like that. I know what I'm doin', okay? I'm gonna, I'm gonna get the keys. I... I'm totally and completely calm."

As Graham ran around the large apartment for the car keys, Buffy took a seat on the couch and waited for him. Her eyes followed him as he ran back and forth in search of the car keys.

"Goddamn it! Where the hell are the keys. I'm goin' to find them. Okay, okay, I'm calm, very calm, okay? No panic, no hysteria. We can totally handle this, right, Buf? Where the hell are my keys?"

Buffy inhaled a deep breath and lowered her gaze to find the car keys sitting on the coffee table.

**6 ½ Hours Later**

**The Council Headquarters: Medical Facility: Delivery Room 4C**

Holding the swaddled newborn in her arms, Buffy felt an emotional clench in her throat as she eyed the baby's tiny fingers that were wrapped around Buffy's forefinger.

Graham turned his glossy eyes to Buffy. With his fingers, Graham gently tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear.

Shifting her gaze from her newborn son, Buffy looked at her boyfriend. "What?" She whispered her question as the baby slept in her arms.

"I was just thinkin'," he told her, eying her with love.

"Thinking about what?"

"How much I love you," he answered. "How everyday, I fall even more in love with you."

Buffy's eyes shined with wetness as a small smile crossed her face. "I'll remind you of that the next time we argue." She lightly jokes, earning a wolfish chuckle from Graham.

He leaned in closer, pressing his mouth against hers.

The joyous kiss only lasted for a minute until they mutually parted and looked back down at their newborn son.

Hovering over the sleeping baby, Graham brushed his lips over the child's head then gently rubbed his blond fuzzy hair.

"Do you think he has any idea how much happiness he brings with him?" Graham asked, slowly moving his eyes around the baby's face. With the back of his forefinger, Graham touched the newborn's puffy cheek. He turned his eyes to Buffy, "You're goin' to be a wonderful mother."

"I hope so," she told him honestly and lowered her green eyes back to her son.

Graham slid his hand over hers regaining her attention. "I know it." He leaned in closer, kissing her mouth gently as the sounds of the room's door opened.

Breaking apart, they turned to see Giles, Willow, Xander, and Dawn standing together.

Buffy eyed her younger sister with surprise, "I didn't know you were coming back from school."

"And miss meeting my little nephew? I wouldn't miss it," said Dawn, crossing the room to stand on Buffy's other side to look at the sleeping newborn. "He's so tiny."

Giles stood at the foot of the bed, holding his hands into his trouser pockets. His gaze shifted from the newborn to Buffy. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," Buffy said with a smile.

"I would imagine so. Having a baby is a lot of work." Giles gently smiled at her as Willow and Xander moved to stand behind Dawn to look at the baby.

"I feel like I swallowed a box of fireworks," said Xander with excitement in his voice. "I can do a jig!"

Willow quickly hushed her oldest friend in fear of waking the newborn. "He looks just like you guys."

Xander frowned, tilting his head to the side, examining the sleeping child held in Buffy's arms. "Really? I think he looks like Sean Connery." Feeling the room's eyes on him, Xander looked around to the strange faces staring at him. "From _Goldfinger_."

Graham shook his head at his good friend and lowered his attention back to Buffy and his son. His heart pounded uncontrollably in his chest at the thought. _Son_. _I have a son._ He almost wanted to ask someone to pinch him to convince him that this was real. _I have a son with Buffy._

"We should leave you to rest," said Giles, backing towards the door. "Xander, Willow, Dawn, come along and let's give the new parents some privacy."

Leaving Buffy and Graham in the room alone, one by one the Scoobies filed out of the room until Willow looked back at the couple and smiled at them as they stared down at the newborn. She was elated for Buffy. For so long it seemed that nothing but tragedy was to follow Buffy Summers everywhere like a rainy grey cloud. It seemed so hard to find happiness without it someone ending in some way that would threaten the world's very existence. And somehow, without anyone expecting it, Graham came back into their lives.

Willow was so happy that Buffy had finally found someone that not only had his own baggage but someone that understood her perfectly. She loved that Graham didn't want to change a thing about Buffy. He fell head over heels for the woman that she already was, flaws and all. He wasn't at all threatened by her strength or position, nor did he put expectations on her. He simply loved and supported her.

Slowly, Willow closed the door behind her.

* * *

Buffy lifted her chin to look at Graham and said with a soft and tired voice, "You should call your parents. I'm sure they're sitting on the edge of their seats wondering what happened."

"You're right," Graham begrudgingly agreed and kissed Buffy's forehead before standing from the chair to retrieve his cellphone from his pocket.

It wasn't that he disliked his parents—not at all. Nicholas and Melissa Miller were a couple of characters in their own right. Nicholas or Nick as he rathered be called, was a firm man. A retired Army Captain, he served in the Vietnam War and now, he was a respected Building Service Director at _Chicago Core_ company in Chicago. Nick was skeptical of this new life outside of the Army his eldest son built himself.

Graham's mother Melissa on the other hand was a kind and quiet soul. A tentative mother in Graham's youth, she always remained soft spoken and patient, even at his father's tantrums. She was happy for her son and the woman he was sharing his life with. All that she ever wanted for Graham was to find happiness. After he came back from Brazil, she knew something wasn't right with him. He had the same troubled look in his eyes as Nick had when he returned from Vietnam.

Holding the cellphone to his ear, Graham waited patiently for someone to pick up the phone call.

" _Hello_?" His mother softly said into the telephone.

"Hi, mom," said Graham, taking a seat at Buffy's bedside and gently touched his son's toes sticking out from the blanket.

" _Oh, Graham, honey, did Buffy have the baby?_ "

Graham smiled, nodding his head. Unsure where this sudden emotion came from, Graham tightened his jaw and pinched the tears in his eyes. "Yeah, Buffy had the baby and she and _he_ are doin' just fine."

" _He? You have a son?_ " The happiness in her voice added to Graham's emotion, choking in his throat.

Buffy looked at him and tenderly brushed her fingers through his dark hair. Graham kissed the inside of her hand and buried his face into her hand holding his cheek.

" _Nick!_ " Melissa called out to Nick somewhere in another room. " _Honey, Graham is on the phone. Buffy had the baby. It's a boy. Here, talk to him._ "

After a moment of shuffling the phone around, Graham anticipated his father's deep voice on the other end.

" _Graham_?"

"Yeah, Pop, it's me."

" _I have a grandson_?"

Graham nodded his head, "Yeah, you do."

" _How is that little woman of yours_?"

Graham turned his eyes to Buffy and watched shake her head with amusement. Returning her smile, Graham also shook his head. "She's perfect. She and the baby are perfect."

There was a moment of silence on the other line for what seemed like a long time. Clearing his throat Nick then said, " _Good. I'm happy for you, my boy. Here's your mother._ "

After another minute, Graham hung up the phone call and placed the cellphone on the nightstand beside them. He turned his attention back to his newborn son and Buffy.

"See, that wasn't so bad." Buffy said, fighting her own tinge of sadness. More than anything she wished her mother was here. Having never been one to believe in the 'higher power of God', Buffy liked to think that Joyce's soul was still living someplace great and special. Just like where she was all of those years ago when Buffy herself had died for the second time. Unsure whether it would be called Heaven, Buffy couldn't think of any other word to describe it.

"She's proud of you," said Graham, reading her distant thoughts.

"And how would you know that? Are you suddenly an Oracle or something?"

Graham pushed her hair back and out of her face. "Because there's no way in hell your mother could be anythin' _but_ proud of you."

"I just wish she was here."

Graham felt a twist of pain in his chest for her. He leaned closer. "Me too, baby," he said before placing another kiss on her forehead.


	10. Chapter 10

**6 Months Later: Late Afternoon**

It's been six months since Buffy and Graham had become parents. And it's been quite the rollercoaster challenge trying to balance parenthood and their jobs at the Council.

Ryder Matthew Miller was a good baby. He was surprisingly easy-going and he hardly ever cried. The small child was filled with an abundance of happy smiles that filled the large apartment with a enjoyment that hadn't been there before.

Even more so than before, it didn't seem possible that either Buffy or Graham had lived very separate lives nearly one year ago. It had certainly felt as if they had been together for ages and Ryder was just a new addition to their long relationship.

Buffy had recently returned back to the Council and into the training room the past two months. She came tired on most days but remained very present in her young son's life.

Usually the one to leave _the Council_ early, Graham picked up Ryder from the nursery and brought him home while Buffy worked and trained for a few more hours. Graham took care of Ryder; changing his diapers, feeding him, and played with him until Buffy came home and took over.

**West Side of Cleveland: DeLuca Luxury Apartments: 11th Floor: Apartment #314: Kitchen**

Gurgling happily as he put his hand into the baby food in a bowl in front of him, Ryder rubbed his messy hair over the highchair tabletop with a toothy smile. Ryder was beginning to get small little white teeth, which made him cranky on most days and uncomfortable with pain. Buffy and Graham did their very best to sooth the baby's hurt with various teething toys and gels to put on his gums.

Graham turned from the sink to Ryder and chuckled as he dried his hands with a towel. Ryder had gotten his food everywhere; all over his chubby face, in his sandy coloured hair, and his clothing.

"Jeez, kid, did you eat any of it?" Graham smirked and walked over to him, taking the spoon thrown on the tabletop and helped his son eat the green baby food. "I turn my back for two minutes."

Ryder's bright eyes were on his father and gave him a mischievous smile.

Stepping into the kitchen from entering the apartment, Buffy placed her pocketbook and her oversized tote bag that was overstuffed with her work clothes, shoes, paperwork, and a laptop on the stool.

"Hi," she said, looking flushed from her rigorous workout session with Giles. "Oh my, what happened?" asked Buffy walking over to Ryder. She gently smiled at him, finding it silly that he was messy with the food.

"Ry got into a fight with the mushed peas again," explained Graham as he wiped the highchair tabletop clean with a sponge. He stood up tall from his crouched position and kissed Buffy's mouth.

"Again!" Buffy smiled down at the six month old and ran her fingers through Ryder's soft hair.

Graham turned to the sink, rinsing off of the sponge and glanced at his girlfriend. "How was your day?"

Buffy shrugged, wiping Ryder's face with a damp napkin. "Fine."

Turning off the faucet, Graham faced Buffy, leaning back against the sink eyeing her carefully for a moment. Rolling his eyes over her, he smirked finding her unbelievably beautiful in her black yoga pants leggings and a matching black tank top. Her blonde hair was piled on the top of her head in a messy bun.

Smiling at her, Graham asked himself for the hundredth time, how he had ever gotten so lucky? He was with the woman he loved and they have a beautiful little boy that makes them so happy.

If there was one thing he learned in the jungles of Brazil it was that everything can be taken away from you in a single moment. You can be stripped of your dignity and be alone and naked. You can witness death and beg for it.

For some reason he was one of the few lucky ones. He survived.

"Marry me." Suddenly said Graham, unaware of his words before they left his mouth. But he held no regret in them. He wanted to marry her. He has been figuring the right moment to ask her for the last year and a half.

Buffy turned to him, unsure if she had heard him correctly. "What?"

With more confidence, Graham tossed the towel on the countertop and stepped closer to her. He put the bowl and spoon in her hand on the highchair tabletop and took her hands into his own. Staring deeply into her ears, a small tugging smile slanted across his face.

"Marry me." He said again. "I wanna marry you, Buffy." Graham watched her green eyes glisten with emotion. He could tell that she didn't quite believe that this was really happening.

"You have to kneel and everything or I won't believe it," she said, unable to stop the smile taking over her entire face.

Graham rolled his eyes and knelt down to one knee, holding her hand in his own. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes," she says.

He stands back to his feet, wrapping his arms around her, covering her mouth with his own. Tearfully, Buffy smiled into the kiss, feeling swept up in the romance.

The sounds of Ryder babbling to himself gently broke their kiss.

Pressing his forehead against hers, Graham nuzzled her nose with his own, not wanting at all to let her go.

Sharing a few more kisses, they slowly unraveled from each other's arms and turned their attention back to the six month old, looking up at them with big round eyes.

Buffy picked Ryder up from the highchair, carrying the baby in her arms. "You are a messy, messy boy. Bath time." She bounced the child on her hip and began to walk out of the kitchen when Graham held his hands at her hips, pulling her back to him.

Breaking out into a laugh, Buffy accepted his kiss. She wanted to bathe Ryder quickly and put him to bed and spend the rest of the night celebrating the engagement with Graham.

Taking his time to thoroughly kiss her, Graham slid the top of his tongue along her lips and enclosed his arms around his new fiancée and son.

"I love you," he said, tucking a piece of her wispy strands of hair behind her ear.

Opening her eyes, Buffy touched her forehead against his. "I love you," she whispered, sharing a smile with him before walking away to give their son a quick bath.

Grinning to himself, Graham began to whistle a jaunty tune as he turned back to the sink to finish washing the dishes and clean up the mess Ryder had made with his food.


	11. Chapter 11

**2010: 2 Years Later**

Within two years everything about Graham Miller's life had changed. He had come home from the Brazilian jungles a broken man, in need of a new beginning. He had found that 'new beginning' in Cleveland, Ohio, the home of the biggest and most active Hellmouth on the planet and the home base of the new Council.

Buffy Summers, the head of _the Council_ had taken a chance on him—Despite their once checkered past working together in Sunnydale. She had even gone a step further and offered him a place to stay until he settled on his own.

After months of functioning as roommates and developing a friendship that only deepened with time, Graham fell in love with the blonde Vampire Slayer. He tried his damndest to fight the feelings he felt for Buffy Summers but he couldn't stop them. What shocked him the most was that she had fallen in love with him as well.

Soon after they decided to take the next step in their relationship, Buffy became pregnant with their son named Ryder. Ryder was everything and more than they could have ever asked for. A funny and easy-going child with a sharp mind has made the new parents so happy.

The birth of Ryder had only strengthened Graham and Buffy's relationship and cemented their love for one another. Six months after Ryder's birth, Graham asked Buffy to marry him and she, of course, accepted. They were married only two months later in a very small ceremony with Buffy's chosen family. Graham's parents, Nick and Melissa had flown in from Chicago to witness the wedding and meet their grandchild. Also in attendance was Graham's younger brother, Nicky Jr.

Buffy had quickly realised that Graham had not at all been exaggerating when he spoke about his father. Nick is a balding weathered looking man with creases over his forehead, between his brows, and along his narrow cheekbones. He is handsome like Graham with a similar squared jaw, bright blue eyes, and darkish brown hair. Nick didn't seem to smile often, unless directed at the six month old that he grew quickly fond of. Nick's eyes are always moving about the room, quietly observing everyone and everything in a way that was eerily similar to Graham. Buffy was positive that Nick did not like her. He was not at all directly rude towards her but she was positive that Nick simply thought of her as Graham's wife and the mother of their son.

Melissa is a quiet and soft spoken woman with dark brown hair, porcelain white skin, and bright blue eyes. Sweet and tolerant, she easily let Nick's off handed comments roll off of her. She seemed oblivious to people's dark sides. She is a woman that loved her husband and sons very much and easily accepted Buffy into their quaint family.

Nicky Jr is a piece of work as Graham would frequently describe him as. A proud member of Delta Psi Beta fraternity, Nicky was the optimity of the 'bro culture'. Very handsome like Nick and Graham, Nicky also had the family's trait of piercing bright blue eyes. Naturally charming and flirtatious with everyone he came across, the youngest Miller didn't rub Buffy the right way. Nor did she like how Nicky not only made eyes at her, but at Dawn.

Much to Graham's dread they were coming back to Ohio to celebrate Ryder's second birthday. He was going to pick them up from the airport in two days.

* * *

Since the wedding, Buffy and Graham decided to move into a bigger place. They very much loved the luxury apartment complex they were in and chose to move to a different floor which now had five bedrooms and three full bathrooms. Enjoying the city life, they were not quite ready to find a house in the suburbs.

The giant apartment now had an office room, which was rarely ever used since Buffy mostly did any extra work at the kitchen's counter island. There is a playroom, Ryder's bedroom, a second guestroom, a magnificent master bedroom, and a rooftop access patio, that looks over the city of Cleveland.

**West Side of Cleveland: DeLuca Luxury Apartments: 14th Floor: Apartment #510: Kitchen**

Standing at the sink, the frown on Graham's face was deep as he tried to ignore Buffy talking to him as she sat with Ryder at the kitchen table watching him eat the spaghetti in front of him.

"Graham, you can't keep lying to them." said Buffy, staring at his back.

When he did not respond, Buffy rolled her eyes and gave him a look that Graham didn't need to see to feel strike through his entire body.

"Honey, it's time that we need to be honest with them. I'm pretty sure they think I'm just… I dunno, aloof. Your father certainly does."

Turning off the faucet, Graham turned to her and said, "No, he doesn't. No one thinks you're aloof. They know you have a big job."

"But they don't know what your _big job_ is."

"There's no reason for 'em to know. They wouldn't understand."

Knowing she was not going to win this argument at this moment, Buffy decided to drop the subject and turn her attention back to Ryder.

Releasing a deep breath, Graham turned off the water faucet and crossed the short distance from the sink to Buffy at the kitchen table. Placing his hands on her shoulders, Graham kissed the back of her head.

"I know that you don't want any secrets but please, let me tell them in my own time and in my own way."

Giving a short nod of acceptance, Buffy looked at him and asked, "And what about Riley? Does he know you have a son now? That you're married? Anything from the last two years?"

Silent, Graham knew that Buffy had a very valid point. He hasn't been truthful to his oldest friend. They've spoken only a few times in the last two years and the conversations were quick. Graham passed on every opportunity whenever Riley asked, 'What's new with you?' or 'Where are you?' or 'Are you happy?'

Graham was frightened of Riley's response if he told him the truth.

"Not yet. It's not a good time."

"Graham," Buffy said his name with a heavy breath. "When is it a good time then? When Ryder's eighteen? Why are you so afraid?"

"Riley won't take it well."

"That's ridiculous—"

"—It's not." argued Graham. "Buffy, everythin' that we have together—a marriage and a kid— _he_ wanted that with you. If he knew… he'll hate me. He'll think I took advantage of your or… I dunno, did some voodoo magic on you to be with me."

Buffy stared at him quietly for what felt like ages. She could see the troubled weight on his shoulders about this, still unsure whether to take the risk or not. "He's your best friend and he deserves to know the truth."

She was right and Graham knew it. Releasing a heavy breath, Graham nodded his head. "Let me tell my folks the truth about our lives then I'll tell Riley the truth about us."

Buffy nodded, "I just don't want you to lose him as your friend."

"If I tell him this, I might." He shrugged with a heavy sigh. "But I guess that's just a risk I'm gonna have to take." He squeezed his hand on her shoulder and leaned down, pressing his mouth to her forehead before stepping away to have a moment to themselves alone in the bedroom to collect his thoughts.

Buffy watched him walk away for a moment then turned her attention back to Ryder. She tossed him a tender smile and ran her fingers loving through his sandy coloured hair.

**Later**

**Master Bedroom**

Leaning back against the backboard of the bed, Graham sat with his long legs outstretched and crossed at the ankle. His mind still on the conversation in the kitchen, everything inside of Graham told him that his father won't understand about his lifestyle and Riley won't understand his relationship with Buffy.

Nick was somewhat a hard man to have as a father. He expected even more from Graham when the realistion hit that Nicky Jr wasn't going to be anything like the man Nick envisioned. Graham was the closest thing to the 'ideal son'. The 'Golden Boy', Nicky would frequently tease him about.

Despite Graham's status as a decorated officer in the military after years of service, Nick did not hold back his disappointment when Graham announced that he was leaving the Army.

Nick did not hide his puzzlement when Graham had given them his new address in Cleveland, Ohio of all places. Nor why he was wasting his potential and his valuable time working in a private school. He didn't have a clue what his son was doing there. He figured that the woman he was with had something to do with it.

Nick at least slept easy knowing that his son faced his mistakes head on and married the woman he had impregnated and they were doing seemingly well—at least _she_ was.

* * *

The bathroom door opened and Buffy stepped out, rubbing the lotion on her arms as she flicked the light off.

Graham tore his mind from his wandering thoughts of his disappointing relationship with his father and ran his gaze over Buffy, taking a moment to admire his wife's beauty.

"I'm sorry for putting pressure on you," she said, turning off the bedroom light and stepped around to the vacant side of the large bed and climbed under the covers to sit beside him. "I just want you to be happy."

Taking her hand on her lap into his own, Graham brought it to his lips and kissed the back of her hand. "I am happy, Summers."

"You know what I mean."

"You're right, I do know what you mean and I am happy. I'm the luckiest guy in the world. I got a wife that's a total knockout. I got a kid I still can't believe we have. I got everythin' I need, right here." Draping his arm around her neck, Graham pulled her close against him. "I am very happy."

Resting the back of her head against his chest, Buffy tilted her head back just as he leaned in close, brushing his mouth over hers in a tender kiss that quickly grew passionate and filled with need.

Shifting to lay over her, Graham pushed the oversized t-shirt covering her slender frame higher up her torso, until it was all the way off and thrown carelessly to the side.

Breaking their kiss, Buffy and Graham briefly parted to remove their underwear and then resumed their previous position.

Their mouths fused together, Graham laced his fingers through her hands and held them above her head as he slipped his cock into her welcoming body with a single thrust.

Releasing a loud moan, Buffy had forgotten herself and their son asleep in the next room down the hall. Graham smiled as he kissed her neck. He had always loved that she was vocal in the throws of her passion.

Her head tilted back and her back arched. Graham covered her neck with wet and open kisses.

Using a bit of her strength, Buffy rolled him onto his back and grinded her center over him. Moaning, Graham held his hands around her hips, guiding the frenzied rhythm. Using the rough pads of his thumbs to tease her hardened nipples. Buffy gasped as waves of pleasure crashed throughout her entire body. Feeling himself nearing his own climax, Graham moved a hand between their bodies and found her clit, distended and begging to be touched.

Buffy cried out his name as her body was wracked with orgasm. He let himself go, pumping furiously as he spilled his seed deep inside her womb.

Breathless, Buffy laid over him and smiled as she kissed his mouth for a few more minutes. Her heart still pounded in her chest.

Shifting off of him, Buffy found her place close into his side and tucked under his arm. Hovering her face over his, Buffy held his rough cheek in her hand then gently traced the lines of his handsome face with the pad of her forefinger.

"I feel like, I gotta remind myself every time I look at you that you're mine," said Graham, pushing a piece of her long golden hair behind her ear. "I can't believe that you're my wife."

"I feel the same way," admitted Buffy.

Picking his head slightly off of the pillow, Graham kissed her. His eyes closed, basking in the feel of her perfect soft lips kissing him and the minty taste of her mouth.

_Knock! Knock!_

Breaking the kiss, Graham and Buffy exchanged a frowning look. Turning to the nightstand, Graham glanced at his watch and pinched his brows together. "Who the hell is comin' here this late?" He asked, getting out of the bed.

Buffy sat up against the backboard, holding the bed sheet over her naked body and frowned, "Maybe it's the end of the world."

"It should frighten me of how callous that sounds." Graham teased, as he pulled on a pair of black jogger sweatpants and a t-shirt.

Snorting into laughter, Buffy rolled her eyes and reached over the side of the bed to pick up the t-shirt she had been previously wearing as Graham stepped out of the master bedroom and headed for the door.

* * *

Opening the door, Graham's brose rose high up his forehead with surprise. "Mom? Pop? I, uh, thought you were comin' in a few days."

"We were but the airline asked if we wanted to upgrade on our flight, so we did," explained Melissa. "I don't know how we'll ever sit in Economy again."

"I like Economy," grunted Nick, standing behind his wife with a frown. "There is nothin' wrong with Economy."

Rolling her eyes, Melissa smiled at her son, "Your father the pragmatist."

"Come in, come in," Graham opened the door wider for his parents to enter and took the large suitcase from his mother. "I could've picked you guys up from the airport."

"We didn't want to disturb…" Nick ran his eyes over his eldest son for a minute having a good idea what Graham had been up to based on his short tousled hair, "... whatever you were doing." Closing the door behind him, Nick took off his coat and took Melissa's coat then hung it up on the hooks by the door.

"Where's Nicky?" asked Graham.

"Finals…" Nick's frown deepened, "... or so he tells us. Probably jumping off a cliff in the name of Delta Psi Beta and PBR."

"He's studying," said Melissa, not at all wanting to picture her youngest son drinking himself into a stupor after a night of a wild party.

Nick released a heavy breath, "Yes, keep telling yourself that. Thirty thousand a year to pay for beer kegs and trips to the emergency room for a stomach pump."

Graham looked at his mother, unsure what to say. Melissa shook her head and decided to just ignore her husband's pessimism.

"Nick, Melissa," said Buffy coming from down the hallway, dressed in a pair of loose fitting yoga pants and a sweater, covering the t-shirt underneath. "We weren't supposed to pick you up today were we? Did I get the dates wrong?"

"No, no, dear." smiled Melissa, "we had an opportunity we just couldn't pass up."

"I prefer Economy," grunted Nick.

Raising her brows, confused by Nick's statement, Buffy looked at Graham. He shook his head and silently promised to explain it to her later.

"Well, it's very late. I think we'll just go to bed and we can all catch up in the morning," said Nick, picking up the large suitcase.

Graham nodded, "Alright. I'll show you to the guest room."

"What's the square footage of this place?" asked Nick as he and Graham walked down the hallway.

Buffy looked at Melissa with a smile, trying her best to hide the awkwardness she felt inside.

"In the morning, you will have to tell me your plans for Ryder's birthday. I would love to help you in any way I can."

"Thank you," Buffy smiled. "It's gonna be a bash."

**Morning**

**Kitchen**

The morning sunshine streamed into the large apartment windows. Nick, Melissa, and Graham had been up for hours talking quietly in the kitchen over cups of coffee.

The pitter patter of little feet running across the wooden floor, turned the adults attention to find a toothy grinning boy sprint straight towards his grandparents with his arms extended out wide.

"Grand-poppy!" Ryder beamed, leaping up into the air to be caught by the aging man.

A large smile tugged across Nick's entire face as he tightly hugged his grandson. He planted a kiss on the side of the boy's head.

"How's my boy?" Nick asked and lifted his eyes to see Buffy entering the room holding Ryder's brown furry stuffed bear in her hand. "Being good for your mother?"

"He's a little angel," Buffy sarcastically teased as she placed the stuffed toy on the counter and walked over to Graham to accept the coffee being handed to her.

Rubbing a hand on Ryder's small back, Melissa looked at her son and daughter-in-law and asked, "Do you have to work today?"

"We do." answered Graham, sipping the hot coffee in his hand.

Nick frowned, still not convinced that Graham had made the right decision about his new choice of employment. He was on the fast track to be a great commander in the Army before he decided to carelessly throw it away. "You look like you run a basic training camp. These are just a bunch of girls, right? They don't care about physical education."

Graham shot Buffy a quick glance.

She raised her brows, silently conversing with her husband.

Nick with a gruff as he passed Ryder to Melissa to hold. "Is this job really something worth giving up your entire career for?"

"Pop," Graham tightened his jaw.

Nick frowned, "You could've been a General." He turned his gaze to Buffy as he pointed at Graham beside her. "Did you know your husband was a born leader?"

"I did." said Buffy with a nod.

"Right. So you agree that he could've been one of the greats like… Patton or Westmoreland. You had real strength and talent." said Nick with a look of disappointment on his face. "And now you're a… phys ed teacher at a private school in _Cleveland_."

Graham's eyes landed on Buffy for a moment as he leaned on the counter land with his hands. "We have to talk." He stood up tall and stepped around the counter to sit at the kitchen table across from his parents and Ryder, still sitting in Melissa's arms. "There's somethin' I need to tell you both."

"Tell us both what?" asked Melissa with an abundance of patience.

"The truth," ominously said Graham. "I haven't been honest with you for a long time."

Buffy also moved around the counter island and sat down beside Graham, placing a supportive hand on his knee.

Holding his fingers together on the kitchen table, Graham searched his brain for a way to say what he needed to say and for them to understand it. "Well, um, I'll start by sayin' that I'm not a phys ed teacher at a private school. That's just the cover."

Nick and Melissa frowned at their son.

"The private school we work at isn't even a private school at all."

"Are you in some kind of trouble, Graham?" asked Nick, tossing his gaze between Graham and Buffy. "Have you fallen into the wrong crowd, son?"

"No, no," Graham shook his head, "it's nothin' like that. It's not the mafia or anythin'."

Nick's brows furrowed over his eyes, "But you were in the Army?"

"Yes, I was, but, uh, straight after basic I was recruited into a special force unit that specialised in the supernatural."

Confused, Nick looked at Graham, trying his best to understand. "Like aliens? Were you Area 51?"

"It's more…" Buffy sat up in the chair, "... um, Hellish then that."

"Were you there with him?" Nick pointed at her accusingly.

Shaking her head, Buffy said, "No, no, um, I was never military."

"Buffy is what's called a Vampire Slayer." said Graham, finally admitting the entire truth to his parents. "She fights vampires… demons… things that horror movies are made of."

Nick and Melissa stared unblinkingly at the couple sitting across from them, terribly confused.

Growing annoyed with this 'nonsense', Nick's frown deepened as his eyes pierced angrily at his son. "You expect us to believe this? Then what's this secret force you were in and why a private school—or a cover… What's it covering up?"

"The private school is really what's called _the Council_ ," patiently explained Buffy to Graham's baffled parents. " _The Council_ nurtures and trains Vampire Slayers, witches, warlocks, and even Watchers—which are guides for the Slayers. There are thousands of _Councils_ across the world but here is the main headquarters."

Sitting back in the chair, Nick crossed his arms over his chest and turned his hardened gaze to Graham. "What does he do at this Council?" Nick pointed a finger at Graham.

Buffy explained, "Graham is the head Drill Instructor at _the Council_. He trains these Slayers in warfare, discipline, and military-esque education. He's an essential piece to my institution. Without him, the mortality rate of the Slayers being sent to various Hellmouths around the globe would be catastrophic. He's really fantastic." She caught Graham looking at her and squeezed her hand that was on his knee, reassuringly.

Graham placed his hand over hers and tossed a small smile that did not make his entire face.

"I've recently made the decision to promote Graham to be the director of the new special operations force called the Chosen Squad." Buffy frowned as she said the name aloud and shrugged, "We're still thinking of names. I personally like the Shadows, but we at _the Council_ like to be 'on the nose'."

Buffy's small tangent did nothing but put Nick and Melissa further into the spiral of confusion.

"Anyway, it's an elite organisation that will combine the Slayers and specially picked elite soldiers from countries around the world. We will work together to stop evil."

"We already have forces stopping evil," Nick challenged.

Buffy smirked, "Yes, but in my world, I'm dealing with the reason evil exists."

"And all of this falls into your hands? You will command these soldiers and… Slayers?" asked Nick, not entirely sure his daughter-in-law had the military intelligence or _strength_ to command a special force like this.

"Yes," Buffy nodded. "This new special force will have no allegiances towards whatever country they're in. Think of it as NATO. Their objective is to kill demons and avert apocalypses."

"And _you_ can avert an apocalypse." Nick raised a skeptical brow, eying the slender framed blonde.

Unoffended, it was not the first time Buffy had been met with prejudice. She smirked, "One of these days, Nick, you and I will exchange war stories."

Melissa turned her eyes to Graham, "And you train these Slayers to be like Buffy?"

Graham looked at Buffy then shrugged with a nod, "Uh, yeah, somethin' like that."

Nick stood from the table and held his hands together. "Can we see this… _Council_?"

Graham looked at Buffy for a reply, unsure whether she wanted them to be fully exposed to their world.

Standing with a nod, Buffy lowered her eyes to Ryder then looked at Nick, "Let me get Ryder's coat."


	12. Chapter 12

**The Council Headquarters: Lower Level #5: The Pit**

Standing at the large windows looking into the one of the many training rooms filled with Slayers working on hand to hand combat and weaponry, Nick watched the young women with an impressive gaze.

"These are all Slayers?" asked Nick as he scooped Ryder up into his arms.

"Yeah," answered Graham standing between his mother and father as he looked into the training room. "Leading today's session is an experienced Slayer that's known Buffy for a long time."

Buffy stood in the background, carefully watching the interaction between her husband and his parents. Since coming to _the Council_ and seeing everything first hand, they appeared to have had an easier time accepting this strange, strange world of the supernatural.

It seemed to also help that Ryder was so enthusiastic about this world and this place. It's all that he's ever known. He happily showed his grandparents his classroom and the cubby he put all of the items in. Ryder then introduced his grandparents to the teachers in the room and even met Giles in the hallway as he headed towards Buffy's office.

The meeting the grandparents seemed to have gone over well. Nick and Giles were polite and pleasant. They bonded over Ryder and what a wonderful boy that he is.

* * *

"You should go in," said Buffy, moving her eyes between her in-laws and husband.

Graham nodded with agreement and held out his hand, gesturing for his parents to enter into the training room.

With childish excitement, Ryder jumped down from Nick's arms and sprinted into the training room, running between the Slayer's aligned in long rows and tackled Faith's legs as she stood at the front of the room.

"Hey, little man." Faith looked down at the two year old with a slanted smile. She lifted her chin and searched for her little nephew's parents. Taking his hand, Faith walked Ryder over to Graham and an older that she'd never seen before, but figured the woman was Graham's mother.

* * *

Meanwhile, still standing outside the training room, Nick clasped his hands behind his back. His eyes were glued to his son, wife, and the dark haired woman holding his grandson's hand inside the training room.

The Slayers in the room continued to train, not at all bothered by the visitors.

Buffy took a step forward and stood beside Nick, looking into the training room.

For a long time, they stood silent with their own thoughts watching the training session and Graham and Melissa interact with the head Slayer inside the room.

"So all of this is true," Nick broke the silence, his voice deep and grovally, "you're some kind of… Slayer. And Graham is…" he released a heavy sigh, "... I don't even know…"

Buffy folded her arms across her chest and nodded, "Yes, it's true."

"Slayer…" Buffy turned her eyes from the training room to Nick as he spoke, "... is that human?" He looked at her.

Unoffended by the off handed question, it hasn't been the first time Buffy had ever been asked such a thing. "Yes, I am as human as you are. Just…" she shrugged, "... enhanced in some ways."

"In what ways?" asked Nick with genuine curiosity.

"Well, you know," she frowned, trying to find the right words to describe her Slayer abilities, "the usual superhero things… speed, strength, quick healing…"

Nick slowly nodded his head with understanding.

"But as of late," Buffy continued to say, "I've been taking a backseat on the slaying. A handful of night patrols but there's a lot more of us now and I like what I'm doing. I'm not needed on the front lines as much anymore. I like the fact that I'm not missing so much with Graham and Ryder. I can have a life."

Another silence passed over them as they together watched the training session inside the room when Nick suddenly asked, "Demons are real?"

"Yes," a small smile passed across her mouth, "they're very real." Buffy tore her eyes from the training room and looked at her father-in-law. "I know this all sounds… ridiculous—Believe me, I know but what Graham does everyday…" she looked back into the training room, her eyes on Graham, "... He trains these women and soon he'll be training soldiers from across the world. He gives them discipline and a real chance to survive out there. No one will ever know the true work that we do and the sacrifices that we are forced to make, but we do it— _Graham_ has done it. He's a hero and you should be very proud of him." Buffy shifted her gaze back to the older man behind her.

The look on his face was thoughtful as he stared into the room. A small smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "You speak your mind." His smile widened as he looked down at the petite woman beside him.

Buffy smirked, "I've been told."

"I like that in a woman." He wolfishly chuckled and turned his gaze back into the room. "You're not afraid of old cranky geezers with their… Well, some might call it 'crass questions'."

They shared a smile.

Inhaling a deep breath, Nick swallowed the emotion clogged in his throat and said, "When I was in Vietnam, we were ambushed."

Buffy looked at him with interest.

"We all got separated. In those jungles, it wasn't hard." He flicked his eyes in her direction for a brief moment. "I remember running as fast as I could through giant leaves. On the ground it was dark 'cause the tall trees covered the sky. My boot got stuck in the mud. I yanked my foot out of it and continued runnin' until I hit a wall. There was nowhere to run. The rustlin' behind the tall bushes of leaves tousled. The heavy footsteps were coming closer and closer. I knew this was it so I began to fire my gun into the leaves and trees. Fired my gun until the magazine ran out and I heard a body plop to the ground. So I picked myself up and moved to see my attacker." The image of the demonic creature lying dead in a pool of blood had left a mark in his mind that's followed him for forty years. "I have never seen anything like it before. Bald with a large pointed nose, sharp teeth, mossy green skin, and its bony fingers were long and claw-like. I didn't know what the hell it was. That face and those red eyes have followed me." Nick looked at Buffy. "That was a demon, wasn't it?"

Taking a deep breath, Buffy nodded her head, "Yes, it was."

"And those are the kind of… demons Graham faced in his deployments? He wasn't fightin' in the Iraq War was he?"

"No, he was not," she answered.

Nick frowned and looked back into the training room at Graham. "When he came back from… Wherever he was, he wasn't the same. Somethin' changed in him. I could see it in his eyes. It was the same look I've seen in my friends eyes when they came back from the war. He stared evil straight in the eyes."

"He's very strong." She smiled, looking at her husband with pride.

Nick eyed his daughter-in-law for a moment when a question entered his mind. It seemed rather silly that it had never occurred to him to ask this before. "When did you two meet? It was alluded to that you've known one another for some time."

Buffy nodded, "We met back in Sunnydale. It's a town in Califor—"

"—The crater town. It's impossible to not have heard of it. Did the crater have somethin' to do with demons?"

Buffy smiled, "Yes. When I met Graham, he was a part of a secret Army division that specialises in supernatural activity called the Initiative. And since Sunnydale was the most active hotspot on the planet—"

"—Graham was stationed there," he finished her sentence with a slow nod.

"Right. We were friendly but not friends." Buffy paused wearing a thoughtful expression on her face. "It took a while. He left Sunnydale after the Initiative was disbanded for the second time."

Buffy frowned, tilting her head to the side as she watched Ryder break away from the adults and weave in and out of the lines of Slayers with Graham chasing after him. A small smile grew across her face.

Quickly remembering the conversation, Buffy then continued, "The purpose of the Initiative was to hunt demons and protect innocents but… the focus changed 'cause a few bad apples took more of an interest in experimentations on the demons and creating their own super soldier demon rather than sticking to their mission. There was a huge battle, a lot of people died, and the government ended up trying to hide it's failure. The last I had heard of Graham at the time was that he joined another special forces division called the Ghosts. They're like the Navy SEALS but demon hunters," she explained.

"And then he found you and you gave him a job and a home." He held out his hand and gestured around him.

Buffy looked at him. "It was the right thing to do. Although it didn't work out in Sunnydale… I've always known Graham was a good man and deserved a chance. So when he came to me asking for a job at _the Council_ , I, of course, gave it to him."

Nick met her gaze and tossed her small smile. "You're a good woman, Buffy. Not many people are generous like you."

"I'm not anything special, Nick." She shook her head and looked back at her husband, holding Ryder in his arms, flying him in the air like an airplane. A gentle smile settled across Buffy's face. "But I see something very special in your son and I love him for it. He's great at his job; training these Slayer's for literal Hell on earth, he's good to me, and he's a wonderful father."

Nick turned his eyes back into the training room, watching Graham carry his grandson with a large smile on his face. "Thank you, Buffy." He looked at her with genuine appreciation before quietly excusing himself and entered into the training room.

Nick laid a hand on Graham's shoulder giving it a small squeeze. Graham turned his head to look at his father when he was met with a look of approval from his father.

Unsure what to say or what even happened to have brought this one, Graham looked back over his shoulder to see Buffy standing at the training room entryway with a small smile on her face before taking the first step inside.


	13. Chapter 13

**2013: 3 Years Later**

It's been five years since Graham came back from a horrific tour in the Brazillian jungles, left the military, and met a floppy-eared demon at a local demon dive bar that changed his life.

With new hope for a beginning, Graham took a chance and travelled to Cleveland, Ohio to grovel at the feet of the Vampire Slayer for a position at the new Council, which she spearheaded.

Repairing an fragile and undeveloped relationship of trust, Buffy and Graham came to the silent agreement to start again on a fresh note. All of the drama that had happened years before in Sunnydale between the Initiative and Riley erased. Beginning this new foundation built on mutual respect, honesty, and acceptance, their friendship quickly changed into love.

After months and months of telling himself that this love he had for Buffy was wrong and would only wreck him in the end, what he had not counted upon was that she would return his love.

Soon after declaring their love for one another, Buffy became pregnant. All this time Graham had always thought the most terrified he'd ever felt was in the jungles infested with vicious demons but, no. That didn't compare to the terror he felt for becoming a father.

More than anything, Graham wanted to be a good father and a partner Buffy could rely on. He didn't want her to have a single doubt of his commitment to this family they were creating, so he asked her to marry him six months after Ryder's birth.

For the next five years since then, Buffy and Graham with their little son lived happily. Finding a simple routine of going to work and coming home. On the weekends, they tried to do things as a family, whether it be out on the town, in a park, or tucked away in their home. The time they spent together and with their son was precious because they knew how easily everything could change in a single instant.

**Evening**

**West Side of Cleveland: DeLuca Luxury Apartments: 14th Floor: Apartment #510: Kitchen**

Turning down the knob of the stove, Graham carefully eyed the flames under the large pot filled with onions, ground beef, chili powder, sugar, tomato, and garlic powder. Standing tall over the large pot, Graham sprinkled salt and pepper into the dinner he was making.

On a typical day, Graham would be the one to pick Ryder up from his school at _the Council_ , but Buffy _insisted_ that she would do it today. Graham believed that she felt guilt for not being around as much as she wanted. With perfect understanding, Graham knew that in her position at _the Council_ it took a lot of her attention and time. Sometimes she wouldn't come home until hours after Ryder had gone to bed.

He told her over and over again that no one was mad at her for working her job. Neither or Ryder loved her any less because she sometimes had to work late or she had to go on business trips, which at times sent her across the oceans.

Graham supported her and played her 'devil's advocate' when she was in the throes of making big decisions. He was her biggest supporter and championed her. With everything inside of him, he loves her.

* * *

Stirring the wooden spoon in the large pot, Graham frowned and checked his phone placed on the counter after hearing it vibrate.

He turned it over and read the text message sent: _We're on our way home!_

A small smile tugged at his mouth at the simple text message. There was nothing particularly grand or romantic about it but it was a small reminder that Graham was not alone. He has a very happy and satisfying life with the woman he desperately loved and their son, who gave him so much pride and joy.

Putting the cellphone back onto the counter, Graham continued to stir the chili cooking in the large pot when a knock at the door tore his attention from the dinner.

Frowning, Graham turned the stove knob to a low simmer as he stepped away to answer the front door.

Twisting the doorknob, Graham opened the door and felt his heart nearly stop in his chest as he stared at the visitor standing on the other end of the threshold with surprise.

A large grin sat across Riley's face as he greeted his oldest friend. Dressed in a nice button-up shirt and a pair of slacks, Riley looked as if he had gone on a job interview.

"Major Miller," said Riley, feeling an emotion of joy of seeing his old Army buddy. It had been years since they had last seen each other in Washington, D.C, just as he and Sam were taking off on another tour in Brazil. Graham told him the night before that he was out and Riley did not believe him until boarding the plane and seeing Graham still standing on the tarmac.

" _Retired_ Major Miller," joked Graham as he accepted Riley's hand into a firm shake. "What 'd you doin' here?" Opening the door wider, he stepped to the side, letting Riley enter into the large home.

"What?" Smiled Riley, as he entered. "I can't visit my best friend?" He paused for a moment and looked around the beautiful home. "Wow, this place is amazing."

Closing the front door, Graham crossed back into the kitchen and stirred the chili in the pot. "Uh, how'd you find me?"

"I ran into a strange demon with floppy ears carrying a basket of kittens at _the Council_. He said that he met you in D.C. He also gave me your address," explained Riley as he walked around the open living room and to the large windows looking out to the sun setting behind the city.

"He said a lot." Graham frowned, knowing exactly which demon Riley had run into in D.C.

"Looks like the job is paying you well," Riley smiled. "How is the job? How's Cleveland?"

"Good," answered Graham.

Riley frowned at his friend's lack of enthusiasm. "Just good? You live in a friggin penthouse! It's gotta be a little awesome, right?"

Graham stirred the chili with the wooden spoon as he considered Riley's words for a minute before shrugging in agreement. "Yeah, it's a little awesome." He tossed Riley a smile from over his shoulder.

"What'd you do at _the Council_?" asked Riley, unsure how to segway the conversation into talking about his ex-girlfriend. "Are you still going on hunts? Does Buffy even let you hunt?" He laughed. "Don't tell me, you left the Army to come here and be a DI?"

"Actually, yeah. I'm happy here." Graham shifted the hot pot onto a cool stover burner to settle down and faced Riley. "I like the city and I like my job."

Riley accepted his friend's answer, genuinely happy for him for seemingly finding his place again. "Good. Good, I wasn't trying to be insulting."

"I know," Graham smirked, knowing his friend well. Riley had certain expectations and ideas of what his friend should do and be, Graham didn't meet his expectations.

Watching Riley move around the large open living room, Graham frowned at Riley as he moved to the array of framed photographs scattered around the room and eyed the photos carefully. He picked up a random photograph of a golden haired woman nestled into Graham's arms. Her face was hidden; buried into Graham's chest.

"Who's this?" asked Riley, holding the framed photograph up to Graham.

Holding his hands into the pockets of his jeans, Graham wasn't sure how to say the truth. He had been unable to tell Riley the truth for five years.

Releasing a deep breath, Graham rubbed the back of his neck. "Uh, actually, Riley, that's my wife."

Riley's eyes shot up at Graham with surprise. "You got married? Why didn't you say anything when we talked?"

"I don't know," said Graham, rubbing the back of his neck.

"How long?"

Graham leaned back against the counter and anxiously twisted the silver ring on his third finger of his left hand around. "A few years."

"Wow. You think you know someone." He chuckled and put the photo down. "Any children?"

Graham nodded his head. "Yeah, a son. His name's Ryder."

"That's a good name." Riley picked up a photograph of a small boy with light brown hair, big green eyes, and a wide toothy smile. "Good lookin' boy. How old is he?"

"Five."

Riley's eyes widened, trying to wrap his mind around the fact that his oldest friend was married with a child. "Wow, so you really found a life here."

"I did." Graham crossed his arms over his chest.

"I'm happy for you." Riley said with sincerity. "I can't wait to meet the 'little Mrs'." He rubbed his hands together with excited anticipation.

On cue, the front door opened. Ryder flew into the home throwing his backpack aside, shimmed off his coat, and sprinted the short distance from the door to his father, standing in the kitchen.

"Daddy!"

Riley's brows lifted up his forehead shocked to see the child from the photographs running across the wooden floor.

Graham unraveled his arms and caught Ryder in the air as he jumped.

Hugging his little arms around Graham's neck tightly for a moment, Ryder pulled his head back and looked at the stranger standing in the living room. It wasn't Granddad or uncle Xander, Ryder did not recognise this man at all. "Who's that?" The five year old asked, frowning in Riley's direction.

Rubbing Ryder's small back, Graham began to answer, "This my old buddy Ri—"

"—Riley?"

Recognising the familiar breathless voice saying his name, Riley's head turns to see Buffy standing at the front door. She wore a pair of wide-legged olive green dress pants, a blush wool-blend bouclé coat over a white blouse top, and a pair of nude coloured heels. Her long golden hair fell over her shoulders and down her back in loose ringlets. Her expressive green eyes were wide and her heart-shaped mouth, partially agape.

"Buffy." Riley swallowed his surprise to see her and quickly crossed the short distance giving her a hug. "It's great to see you. I tried meeting with you at _the Council_ but your secretary Harmony said that you were completely booked until two thousand and seventeen."

Without having much choice in the matter, Buffy accepted Riley's hug and shot Graham a weary look over Riley's shoulder.

"Uh, yeah, she keeps me on a very strict agenda. I-it's nice to see you." Buffy plastered a smile across her face as Riley pulled back to look at her. Inhaling deep breath, Buffy closed the door behind her.

"I got some leave to use up while Sam is in D.C. working at the Pentagon. Thought I'd come here to talk with you and to see what Graham has been up to these last…" Riley turned his gaze back to Graham in the kitchen with disbelief, realising once again just how much time had passed since they'd last seen one another. "… five years? What are you doing here? Dropping Ryder off?" Riley asked, noticing that Buffy had taken off her coat and hung it up. He turned his gaze to Graham. "Does your wife work? What does she do?"

"Um…" Graham's eyes met Buffy's across the way and silently communicated with her as he then said, "... she runs _the Council._ "

It took Riley a moment to realise that Graham's eyes were on Buffy as answered his question. Swallowing the confusion in his mind, Riley's eyes lowered to the photograph nearest to him. It was a wedding photo. Graham dressed in a tailored blue-grey suit with a tie around his neck, Buffy beside him, dressed in an elegant lacy white dress. Her hair styled into a fashionable bun. In her arms was a bright-eyed little baby boy with fuzzy sandy coloured hair. The toddler grinned a toothy smile at the camera with wedding cake icing all over his face and covering his tiny hand.

Riley swallowed and began to shake his head with disbelief. "No… You two are…?" He tossed his eyes between his best friend and his ex-girlfriend in utter disbelief. "You and Buffy?"

"Yeah," Graham placed Ryder onto his feet and took a step towards Riley, "me and Buffy."

"How? When?" A hundred different scenarios entered Riley's mind that would explain this strange matchup. Each scenario ended with Graham somehow forcing or tricking Buffy into being with him. "Did you talk her into this? Or-or did this happen one night after a little too much to drink? Or…"

Graham knew where all of Riley's speculation was headed; him somehow taking advantage of Buffy. "C'mon, Ry," Graham released a heavy sigh, "you know Buffy has always been perfectly capable of knowin' her own mind."

"What are you trying to prove?" asked Riley with his hands on his hips, seeing straight through Graham's well-mannered facade.

"What?" Graham's brows furrowed over his eyes. "What'd you mean what am I tryin' to prove?"

"Marrying Buffy," Riley's voice rose as anger swirled in his chest, "are you trying to prove something, Graham?"

Now angered at Riley's audacity to ask him such a question really pissed him off. "I'm not even gonna dignify that bullshit question with an answer." He stepped closer to Riley and dropped his arms at his sides. "I'm not tryin' to prove anythin'. This has nothin' to do with sex."

"Oh, what, are you in love with her?" Riley shook his head with disgust.

Graham seemed dumbfounded by the question. "That's what generally happens when two people decide to get married, Riley. Because they're in love with each other. Do you just wanna take a swing at me? Get it over with. Save us both a lot of time and trouble." asked Graham.

"What do you think a punch would do? Make me understand how you and my ex somehow found each other?" Riley instantly regretted turning his gaze to Buffy, recognising that withering look of anger on her face. It was the same look she wore the night Riley had gotten into a fist fight with Angel in the alleyway.

Graham exhaled a deep breath. "I thought you of all people would understand someone fallin' for Buffy Summers."

"Are you delusional enough to believe that you actually have something real with Buffy?" Riley refused to even consider the idea that Buffy and Graham shared a mutual love for one another.

"Okay," Buffy's voice interrupted the two men on the verge of a fist fight. She crossed the room and grabbed Ryder by his hand as she shot Graham a steely glare. "Can we please _not_ have this conversation in front of Ryder?" She pulled the boy along to take him out of the room before all hell broke loose. "Come on, sweetie, let's let Daddy talk in private."

"That's not talking, Mommy," said Ryder, looking up at Buffy as they walked out of the room. "That's arguing."

"Oh, it is?" Buffy looked down at her son.

Ryder nodded. "You and Daddy argue like that. Mrs Thompson at school says it's okay that Mommy's and Daddy's argue."

"Oh, well, that's good to know." She ushered the talkative little boy into the playroom and closed the door behind them, leaving Graham along with Riley.

Graham was mad. Mad that everything he had predicted that would happen the day Riley found out was all coming true. He was mad at himself for letting his frustration and anger get the best of him.

Never minding his anger to defend himself, Graham did not stand for anyone insulting his family. "The decisions Buffy makes are of her own free will." Riley scoffed, unconvinced. "Be serious, Riley. What did you think would happen? A woman as beautiful as Buffy would just be what?—A spinster? Alone for the rest of her life, pinin' over you?"

"Do you really think you can compete with our history?"

Graham wanted to laugh. "Some history. Two years of pretendin' to be grown up, only to drop her 'cause she didn't you enough attention? That's your history? Come on, man. And you called this woman the love of your life?"

"Yes, and you went after her anyway!" Riley argued.

"Riley, you've been broken up for a decade!" Graham shouted in Riley's face. "You moved on. You got married. Buffy's had an entire life since you."

Riley refused to accept that this was the way Buffy had 'moved on with her life'. "Oh, so she got pregnant and she was vulnerable. Perfect for you, right? 'Cause you're only interested in girls you can save or screw, right, Graham?"

Graham's fists tightened until his knuckles were white, but he did not throw the punch. If they were going to fight, he wasn't going to be the one that started it. Instead, Graham stared at Riley in total bewilderment and began to turn away. "I can't talk to you right now. "

"No," Riley reached out, grabbing Graham by his shoulder, forcing him to turn, "we're going to talk about this now. Five years, you've been lying to me."

"Get out of my house, Riley." Graham's entire face darkened with anger. His bright blue eyes pierced straight through Riley's skull.

It was a look Riley had never seen before.

Calmly, Graham took small steps towards Riley as he calmly spoke, "You've insulted me, my _wife_ , and my son. You've made your concerns loud and clear, now _get out_."

Turning on the heel of his boot, Riley stomped the short distance to the front door. He threw it open and slammed it behind him, rattling the walls.

Graham exhaled the breath that he had been holding in and felt exhaustion as he slouched back on the counter. Rubbing a hand over his face.

**Later**

**Master Bedroom: Bathroom**

The rest of the night, Graham found himself brooding in the corner. Buffy was still annoyed for how everything went down only a few hours before. She fed and bathed their son then put him to bed, reading him a story.

She gave her husband space to collect his thoughts and knew that in time he'll come to her.

* * *

Lounged back in the warm water of the hot bath she had made for herself, Buffy released a deep relaxing breath and closed her eyes. It seemed that the entire long and eventful day had finally caught up with her.

The sounds of the bathroom door opening and closing made her ears flinch.

"I told you this would happen." Graham's deep voice broke her relaxing silence.

She opened her eyes and watched him pace back and forth. His fingers laced together on the top of his head.

"When it comes to you, Riley can't see straight."

"You guys just need some time to cool off," she said.

"And then what? Talk to him?" Graham looked down at her for a moment before shaking his head at her posterous idea.

"Yes, but you can do that later. Now get into this bathtub." The slight arch of her manicured brow raised and a hinting smile tugged at her lips.

Graham took a deep breath and did as told. He removed his t-shirt, followed by unbuttoning his chest. Toeing off his boots, Graham pushed the jeans and boxer-brief shorts down his muscular legs. Buffy smiled at him as he comically hopped on one foot to take off his socks.

Now fully naked, Graham stepped into the warm water and took a seat at the other end of the large jacuzzi bathtub.

Buffy closed her eyes finding that peaceful relaxation that a warm bath always gave her but the tension coming from the direction of Graham was impossible to ignore.

She opened her eyes and found him sitting stiffly in the sudsy water with his arms on his bent knees, brows pinched together, and a deep frown set on his face.

Buffy sighed, "Honey, don't break your friendship with Riley because of this. He'll get over it."

"I don't think he will." He ran a hand over his face, exhausted. "He was so in love with you, Buffy. It took him nearly a year to say your name."

Sitting forward in the jacuzzi bathtub, Buffy mimicked his posture by resting her arms on her knees. "He's moved on."

Graham turned his gaze away, appearing unconvinced.

Buffy looked at him for a long while, until she said, "It never would've worked in long run."

Graham's eyes turned to her face.

"I wasn't..." she inhaled a deep breath, "... I didn't love him in the way that he loved me. It surprised everyone because to them, Riley had it all. He was the complete package. But I didn't..." she twisted the ring around her finger, "... I didn't love him. It's taken me a very long time to find you." she said, lifting her eyes to her husband. "I love you. I married you. There's a whole future I see in my head and you're in it."

A smile tugged at his mouth. He held out his hand for her to take.

Buffy returned his smile and accepted his hand, letting him pull her across the jacuzzi bathtub and sat across Graham's lap, draping her wrists around his neck.

"Despite all of that, you still need to salvage whatever is left between you two because his name was on the roster for the new recruits." Graham looked at her. He knew a new batch of soldiers were coming in, just like they always did, but he hadn't known that Riley's name was on the list. Maybe that was one of the reasons he was in Cleveland and at _the Council._

Buffy continued, "He wants to work with us and I will hire him and Sam." Graham nodded. "They are very good at what they do and we need that. 'The mission is bigger than the man', isn't what you say?"

Graham eyed her skeptically, "You were listenin' to me?"

"I do that a lot, and yet, you always seem so surprised." Buffy rolled her eyes with a smile.

Inhaling a deep breath, Graham let go of his anger and circled his arms around his wife's waist. He pressed his forehead against hers and softly whispered, "I love you, you know that, right?"

Buffy nodded and toyed with the short hairs at the nape of his neck. "I know."

"I would do anythin' for you," he told her. "I'd walk through fire for you. I'd get you crunchy peanut butter at 2am…"

"But?"

"… But I can't force Riley to see eye to eye with me about this." Graham hated disappointing her but he knew that he was right about this. He knew Riley in a different way than Buffy. He knew first hand how much Buffy had meant to his (former) best friend. He was there when Riley mourned over the breakup and found himself again, then found Sam. "I will work with him and I will remain professional and civil but don't expect to see him at our next barbeque."

Nuzzling her nose, Graham tenderly kissed her pouting mouth. "Please,a Buf, don't get involved. This is between me and him."

It was not the response that Buffy wanted but she wasn't going to get anywhere by force. Instead, Buffy covered his mouth with her own, giving him a kiss of reassurance. She was his and only his. Despite the men she had loved before him, Graham was the one she married. He was the one she vowed to spend the rest of her life with.

The kiss ended much too soon in Graham's opinion.

He opened his eyes and watched as Buffy stood in the bathtub and climbed out of it. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her naked soaked body.

Turning her gaze back to him, she tossed him a small gentle smile. "Please, just think about it."

Graham huffed and sunk lower into the water as Buffy walked out of the bathroom, leaving Graham to sulk in the bathtub.


	14. Chapter 14

**Next Morning**

**Master Bedroom**

Waking up flat on her back, Buffy turned her head to Graham sound asleep beside him. She exhaled a deep breath unable to stop the thoughts of Graham and Riley's argument yesterday.

She somehow felt more affected by this breakup of a friendship, perhaps it was because she felt guilt for being the cause of it.

Sitting up in the bed, Buffy propped her back against the backboard and thoughtfully twisted the rings around her finger.

Chewing on her bottom lip, Buffy felt that she needed to do something. But she also knew that this wasn't her fight. This was Graham's fight. Then again, she knew both of these men very well, so she knew they were both stubborn as an ox.

Pushing the covers off of her, Buffy carefully got out of the bed. She tip-toed across the wooden floor to the closet for a pair of jeans and a top.

After hours of telling herself not to get involved, Buffy couldn't take it anymore. She _needed_ to do something and not wait around for these two stubborn men to knock some sense into themselves.

**Forest City Inn: Room #314**

He couldn't sleep last night. Images swam in his mind of Buffy and Graham... _together_. He envisioned different scenarios of their life now that they were a couple. and his heart ached with sadness and jealousy.

Digging a hand into his duffle bag, Riley took out a small stack of photographs, he had been carrying with him for the last decade. These photos travelled with him across the world. They were in his pocket for every mission he's ever been on.

Riley held the few prized photographs between his fingers and sighed sadly.

The first photo was of his wife. The photograph underneath that was himself, Graham, and Forrest during basic training days. Their arms were around one another as they grinned into the camera. Riley remembered his day perfectly, they had all been accepted into the new special operations team called the Initiative.

Riley's eyes narrowed on Graham, letting his mind slowly work out where these smiling and unsuspecting men in this photo would end up within only a few years. Forrest would be killed. Riley would fall in love for the first time only to be left heartbroken, and Graham would leave the Army to marry Riley's first love.

His chest tightened then looked at the next photograph underneath the first two. The polaroid photograph had gentle worn creases in the corner. The colour of the photo seemed washed out or faded. Buffy sat on the floor in a white sweater, black pants, with a pair of black boots. Her curly blonde hair was partially pinned back, out of her beautiful smiling face. In one hand she held a stake and in the other a knife. She must have been wielding stakes that day.

Riley clenched his jaw, reminding himself of the hours he would spend, staring at this photo when he wanted his mind to be somewhere else. He felt guilt for imagining a life in which he was with _her_ instead of Sam.

What would their life be like? What would his life be like if Buffy returned his love? Would he have stayed in Sunnydale? Would they be married now with children?

There were so many 'what if's' that Riley wished he had answers for but that's all they were 'what if' questions. It was not reality.

In reality, he and Buffy _did_ break up. He _did_ leave Sunnydale. He _did_ fall in love again and got married to a wonderful woman. Buffy _did_ move on and found love with his best friend. She was a mother and a wife, and also the most powerful woman on the planet.

_Knock! Knock!_

Frowning, Riley turned his head to the door. He had a feeling he knew who was standing on the other side of that door and he was none too happy about it. Riley wasn't quite ready to remedy his friendship with Graham and accept that he was now married to Buffy.

Putting the photographs on the bed, Riley stood up tall and crossed the short distance to the door.

Turning the door handle lever, Riley's brows rose high up his forehead, very much surprised to see Buffy standing on the other side of the doorway.

Masking his look of surprise, Riley frowned, unsure how he felt about seeing her again. He was angry still at Graham for his deception but Buffy…? It certainly takes two to tango, as the saying goes, but… No, Riley decided. Graham was entirely to blame. He took advantage of this beautiful, wonderful woman and somehow manipulated her into marrying him.

"Did Graham send you?"

"No," said Buffy, shaking her head, "he didn't. In fact, he has no idea that I'm here."

Riley's frown deepened.

"Can I come in?" asked Buffy.

Tightening his jaw, Riley opened the door wider for Buffy to enter.

She stepped inside and nervously twisted the set of rings on her left hand ring finger as her eyes bounced to the clean looking room. There was not much to the room, a large bed, bathroom, desk with a telephone on it, dresser, a television, and a sliding door closet.

Buffy faced her ex-boyfriend and lifted her eyes to his face. "I got yours and Sam's application and you will be accepted."

"That's good to know, but what does that have to do with anything?" He sternly crossed his arms over his chest.

"It has to do with a lot. You and Graham will be working frequently together. He will be your superior. Can you handle that?" She asked, raising the slight arch of her brow.

Riley nodded, "Of course, but I don't think—"

"—You have no say in how I run my Council, Riley." Buffy quickly set him straight, making it well known that she held the power in the world he was entering into. The stern hardened look on her face softened as she said, "I look forward to working with you again. Once upon a time, we all made a pretty good team—well, at least until the Initiative went evil with an apocalyptic Frankenstein." Buffy felt a bit of satisfaction of getting at least a small tugging smile out of him.

The room was blanketed with a heavy silence. Buffy's eyes bore into him, watching as Riley stared down at his shoes.

"Graham's missed you." She said, causing Riley to lift his chin. "I've wanted him to tell you about us for a long time but I promised him to let _him_ tell you in his own way and well… that's failed… so…" she twisted the rings around her finger.

"How did it happen?" asked Riley, suddenly unsure if he even wanted to know the answer.

Buffy looked at him. "He didn't take advantage of me. We weren't wasted when we first got together, nor did we get married because I was pregnant, in fact, Graham and I were a slow build. We were roommates living our separate lives until we couldn't keep pretending that there wasn't something between us. He makes me happy, Riley. You and I weren't right together and that's no one's fault. You found happiness with Sam and I'm very happy for you. I would've hoped you could have shown that same courtesy." She stepped past him, heading for the door when Buffy paused, and faced him again.

Riley frowned, as he looked at her.

"Graham is my husband." She told him. "He's the father of my son and whatever future kids we may have. And he is still your best friend. Please, don't throw away years of friendship over a macho pissing contest. Remember, you two have been friends much longer than either of you have ever known me. You've been through literal hell together. It would be a pity if you broke your friendship because of some girl." She turned the door handle lever.

"You've never been 'some girl'." said Riley, with a slanted smile on his face.

Buffy returned his small smile with her own, silently appreciating his kind sentiment. "Please, just think about it." Buffy opened the door wider and exited the room, leaving Riley still standing in the center with his hands in his pockets.

As the door softly clicked closed, Riley released a deep sigh, now having much to think about.

**West Side of Cleveland: DeLuca Luxury Apartments: 14th Floor: Apartment #510**

Entering back into the home, Buffy exhaled a breath wondering if she had only made things much worse for Graham and Riley by stepping in-between them.

Unbuttoning the buttons of her coat, Buffy slipped it off and hung it on the hook near the door.

Pushing herself away from the coat hooks, Buffy walked down the hallway and turned into the playroom, where she found Graham and Ryder sitting on the floor. Ryder was resetting all of his green plastic army men, while Graham realigned the plastic tanks, creating an epic battle scene on the rugged floor.

A small smile tugged at Buffy's lips, loving whenever she caught these moments between father and son. Neither of them suspected her presence hiding in the corner.

Graham lifted his chin to look up at her standing in the doorway, "Hey, where'd you go?"

Buffy looked at him.

Instantly recognizing the troubled and uncertain look that had settled across his wife's face, Graham frowned.

Remaining calm, Graham stood from the floor and slowly stepped over to her. "Buffy…"

"I couldn't stand idly by while you were throwing your friendship away." said Buffy, unable to withstand Graham's patient eyes and small smile. He knew immediately what she had done.

"I told you to stay out of it," he said, following her out of the playroom and down the hallway.

"I couldn't do that." Buffy whirled around, facing him.

Graham folded his arms across his chest. "Yeah, _clearly_."

"I'm sorry, I went behind your back but I'm not sorry that I talked to him. Someone had to."

Rubbing a hand over his face, Graham tried to remain very calm although angered by his wife's actions. He knew that her heart was in the right place and she lacked the patience to let things work itself out. "It shouldn't have been you, Summers."

Buffy huffed, crossing hers and turning away from him.

Graham stepped around to face her. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and slid them up to cup her face. "Buffy, I love that you care so much. I appreciate you tryin' to remedy whatever is left between me and Riley, and I even love that you will go behind my back and do everythin' I asked you _not_ to do." He shot her a charming half-smile. "Should I have listened to you at the start when you were tellin' me to tell him about us—Yeah, probably, but this reaction whether I told him five years ago, now, or even five years later, Riley's reaction— _this_ reaction would be the same." He pushed her hair off of her shoulder.

Releasing a heavy breath, Buffy wrapped her hands around his wrists. "I just can't stand it when you're hurting."

"I'll be fine." He pulled her close, tenderly kissing her mouth. "I got you."

**Late Afternoon**

**Rooftop**

Seated in a wooden chair with his feet propped up on the ledge of the rooftop, Graham sipped the beer in his hand. His mind lost in the replay of the argument he had with Riley the day before.

There were so many ways he wished he could have gone about it differently. He wished that he had been straight forward from the beginning. He wished that Buffy hadn't arrived home at the time that she did in order for him to have time to properly tell Riley. He wished that he didn't care so much about his best friend's reaction. He wished that he had the bravery of Buffy to seek Riley out to try to heal this wound in their relationship.

Taking a sip of the beer in his hand, his ears flinched to the sound of the rooftop access door opening and closing.

By the heaviness in his visitor's footsteps he knew it was neither Buffy or Ryder.

"Buffy talked to you too, huh?" asked Graham, ripping his eyes from the abyss he had been staring at to see Riley standing at his side, staring out into the glorious view of the city.

A smirk covered Riley's serious face. "Yeah. She's very determined that we'd be friends." Riley said, taking a seat in the vacant chair beside him.

"I should've figured that she'd do that." He took another sip of the beer with a small smile. "She's a good woman."

"I couldn't agree more." Riley sat back in the chair, staring out to the picturesque cityscape.

A long silence casted over the old friends, neither knowing how to begin to say what desperately needed to be said.

"There were elements of truths to what you said." Riley began.

With surprise, Graham turned his head and looked at him.

"I am jealous." Riley admitted. "There was a time when more than anything, I wanted the life you're livin' with Buffy." He shifted his gaze back out to the city they looked over. "But she never loved me the way she loves you. And that's okay… now. I've got a great woman of my own." Riley smiled at the thought of his headstrong wife. "She's just as strong willed and high-minded as Buffy. I'm happy with her. And I am happy for you, Graham." Riley looked at Graham once more. "You're a lucky bastard."

Graham let out a wolfish chuckle and sipped the beer in hand. "I'm well aware."

"Don't screw it up." Riley said with a serious voice but Graham recognised the playfulness in his friends eyes.

The two old friends shared a laugh.

"From this day to the ending of the world… we in it shall be remembered." Riley held out his fist.

Graham smirked, "We lucky few, we band of brothers." He gently pounded his fist against Riley's as they recited the old William Shakespeare quote they had memorised since basic training.

"For he who today sheds his blood with me shall be my brother," Riley's smile widened.

"Hooah." Graham said, then sipped the beer in hand. He leaned over the side of his chair opening a cooler filled with ice cold beer and passed one over to Riley.

The two men sat together staring out over the city in an amicable silence.

"So…" Riley began, "... tell me about your son."

Graham smiled widely at the thought of his little boy. "He's a great kid. Brave and funny. But shit," Graham shook his head with realisation, "he's so much like Buffy, it's scary."

Riley laughed.

"Wait until you have a little girl. If she looks anything like Buffy, you're in trouble."

Graham groaned, knowing just how right Riley was. Rubbing a hand over his face as he imagined a little blonde haired girl that was identical to her mother began to freak Graham out. "Fuckin'-A…" he took a long swig of the beer in his hand.

In the background, standing at the cracked open door, Buffy had quietly listened to the conversation between her husband and his best friend. Ryder walked up the steps behind her and tugged at the hem of her shirt to get her attention.

Buffy carefully closed the door and faced the five year old, taking his little hand into her own. "Do you wanna make some sundays?"

Ryder's green eyes brightened with excitement. "Chocolate mint chip!"

"Mmm, that's a good choice!" She said with a smile and walked back down the steps, heading back into the home to create the world's messiest and sugariest ice cream sunday's with her son.


	15. Chapter 15

**April of 2014**

**The Council Headquarters: Main Grounds: Section C**

Long lines of Slayers and recruited soldiers from various countries marched the grounds of the ginormous estate. Their arms swung in unison with each step. Their eyes glued facing forward, never wandering around to look around their surroundings.

Others were running in long straight lines, trying to keep up with the supernatural speed of the Slayers.

In another section of the main grounds, soldiers took turns wrestling with the Slayer's in hand to hand combat fighting. They ran different simulations using their fists, weapons, and whatever was around them. Fighting demons and vampires was much different than fighting humans. Demons had a certain speed and power than humans just did not possess. These soldiers needed to learn that quickly, otherwise, they will be pulverised in the field.

The soldiers training on these grounds were the best of the best.

* * *

Standing tall and with authority, Graham watched the soldier recruits and the Slayers as they completed the dreaded obstacle course, which Graham had been making increasingly harder and harder throughout the years.

Dressed in a crisp unmarked army field shirt with the sleeves rolled all the way up his arms, past his elbows, a pair of cargo tactical tucked into a pair of combat boots and an ACU patrol cap hovering over his eyes.

Watching one by one as his troops in training climbed up the rope, Graham waited for someone—any one of them to slip.

Pushing off his back foot, Graham marched over to the soldier that had slipped from the rope with burning hands.

The soldier ignored his pain and stood at attention with his arms stiffly to his side, chest out, chin up.

Graham stood nose to the nose with the elite soldier and screamed, " _With your imablance you had just lost your enemy and killed your entire team? Do I find that acceptable?_ "

" _No, sir_!" answered the former Mossad soldier with a heavy Israeli accent.

" _You will do this again, until you get it right! Do I make myself clear?_ "

" _Yes, sir!_ "

Graham's jaw tightened and pointed to the back of the line. " _Get into the back of the line, Mizrachi!_ " Graham watched as the soldier ran to the back of the line and the next one in line stepped up to climb up the rope to get to the otherside of the large wall blocking the next course.

* * *

In the distance, Xander and Buffy drove up the green hills overlooking the massive grounds filled with her recruited international troops and newly-called Vampire Slayers.

"Who would've thought that this would be what we were doing?" said Xander, looking out to the magnificent sight of organised troops marching, running, wrestling, and completing the dreaded obstacle course.

Buffy smiled, "Not a million years."

Xander put the golf cart into gear and continued to drive down the path towards the obstacle course area.

* * *

As they passed the long lines of troops marching. The instructor marching alongside the flanks of troops and Slayer's walking in organised lines shouted something that was inaudible to Buffy's ears.

The lines of soldiers snapped their heads towards Buffy and raised their right hand, fingers, and thumb extended, and joined together. The palm faced down, and placed the tip of the right forefinger on the rim of their ACU caps, slightly to the right of the eye.

Still very much uncomfortable with the sign of respect, Buffy awkwardly waved her hand with a tight smile adorned on her face.

"How many times do I have to tell them, not to salute me?" whispered Buffy, leaning closer to Xander.

Xander chuckled and continued to drive the golf cart.

* * *

Arriving at the obstacle course, Xander turned the key in the ignition and stepped out of the golf cart.

Buffy began to push herself up from the golf cart seat with one hand while the other rested over her heavily pregnant belly.

A hand extended out to her.

She smiled and took the offered hand to help her out of the golf cart. "Y'know, it was so much easier getting _into_ that stupid cart then getting out of it."

Riley chuckled. "The trials and tribulations of being nine months pregnant."

"Yeah, if this doesn't convince Sam of the 'joys of pregnancy' I don't know what will."

Riley laughed and guided Buffy out of the golf cart.

Buffy thanked him for his help and pushed the rolled up sleeves of her blazer coat higher up her arms.

"Graham isn't gonna be too happy that you're out here," said Riley, holding his hands into the pockets of his combat pants. "He's very protective over you."

Buffy rolled her eyes with a smile. "Don't I know it. I can't even walk up the stairs without him hovering. He's acting like—"

"Like you haven't given birth before?" Riley smiled.

"—Like I'm not a Slayer." She finished her sentence then frowned as she thought about what Riley had said. "Yeah! You're right! I've done all this before!" Buffy said, gesturing towards her rounded belly.

"Buffy," Riley gave her a sideways look. "You may be a Slayer but you're a Slayer carrying _Graham's_ child. I've never seen him fuss over anybody the way he does over you and Ryder."

Over the past year, Riley and Sam had been happily working at _the Council_. They were looking forward to commanding one of the sub councils across the world. After a decade of bouncing around the world on long tours and dangerous missions, they were getting antsy to getting back out there.

Buffy had promised them to send them somewhere exoitc. The Finns' much preferred that instead of someplace more homely like the UK, Italy, Germany, or even Russia.

It was nice to have Riley back in their lives again. Buffy was so glad that Graham once again had his best friend. In fact, him, Xander, and Riley had become quite the trio over the past months.

Riley and Sam were good friends to them.

* * *

Looking back over his shoulder, Graham spotted Buffy talking to Riley just outside the obstacle course perimeter.

" _A-ten-hut!_ " An instructor shouted, spotting Buffy standing with Riley.

Immediately, every Slayer and soldier that had been running the course halted whatever they were doing and stood at attention. Their shoulders square, arms stiffly at their sides. Fingers curled with the tips of their thumbs alongside and touching the first joint of their forefingers. The heels of their feet touched together in a sharp line, with the toes pointing out equally. Their heads were erect as they faced straight to the front with the chin drawn in so that the alignment of the head and neck is vertical.

Buffy frowned at the soldiers and Slayer's saluting her. That was a costume she would never get used to. She had tried so hard to tell them to _not_ salute her, Buffy stopped complaining about and just... let it happen.

Panic pounded in Graham's chest, noticing Buffy's hand slide over her heavily pregnant belly.

He ran over to her, breaking his mastique of a hardened drill instructor to a very concerned husband.

Standing before his wife, he held her face between his hands, checking her for injury. "What is it? What's wrong? Is it the baby? Oh my God, are you havin' the baby? We are we havin' the baby?" He spoke a mile a minute in a very un-Graham-like fashion, which amused Buffy.

"No, the baby is fine. Not time yet."

"Then why are you here? You shouldn't be out here! What if you fall or trip or-or trip and fall? You should be at home. But I know you won't stay at home 'cause you hate not being busy and…" Buffy gently held her finger over his lips to silence him. She calmly stepped forward, craning upwards to brush her mouth over his.

"I'll continue the course," Riley excused himself, walking back to the obstacle course. He looked over his shoulder and smiled to himself feeling like he was now realising for the first—although the same thoughts occurred to him a hundred times before of just how right their lives had turned out.

" _You_ need to relax." said Buffy, brushing the tip of her nose against his.

Graham's arm snaked around her back, pulling her close. "I can't."

"Clearly," she said with heavy sarcasm in her voice. "Well," her voice grew low and husky as her fingers began to slowly walk up the buttons of chest and touched the skin of his throat, "I know a few things that we can do to… um… _hasten_ this baby business along."

Graham smiled kissed her neck as he whispered, "Someone's been readin' Murkoff again."

Buffy pulled her head back to look at her husband. "Well, I mean, it _has_ been like six years since the last time. I needed a refresher."

Taking her hand, Graham pulled her back to the golf cart, he helped inside and ran to the other side and excitedly jumped into the driver's seat. He turned the ignition and began to drive away leaving Xander on the grounds and without a ride back to the main building.

"Summers, you shouldn't be drivin' around in this thing." Graham frowned and the golf cart wobbled over the bumpy areas on the grass.

"Well, you won't let me walk anywhere. Besides," she looked at him, "isn't it better riding in this thing than knowing if I _were_ walking, I could trip and fall or something?"

Graham's frown deepened. "This thing is a death trap. What if-if you got into an accident."

"Honey, it's a golf cart. It doesn't go faster any than 20 miles per hour."

Graham's eyes comically widened. " _That's too fast!_ " He shouted with surprise. "No more. That's it! You are no longer allowed to leave the house until the baby is born."

Buffy's fingers touched the back of his neck and slid down to his round muscular shoulder. "Not gonna happen."

"Buf—"

Buffy shook her head. "No. You can 'Buf' me all you want. I'm not doing it. The baby will be coming soon but you're not gonna lock me in Kensington Palace until the baby comes."

" _She_ comes," he pointedly corrected.

Raising her brows, Buffy softly smiled at him. Over the past nine months they had been debating the sex of their unborn child. Buffy was sure that the baby was another boy. Graham thought otherwise and was certain the baby is a girl and Ryder thought the baby was an alien.

"You still think it's a girl?"

"Oh, honey, I _know_ so. You're right about a lot of things, Summers, but not this. Not. This." He tossed her a quick glance with a slanted smile across his face.

Buffy shifted closer to him, circling her arm around his neck and pulled him closer to plant a kiss on his mouth. Forgetting himself, Graham fell deeper into the kiss and stopped the golf cart to give his wife the attention that she desired in their kiss.

His hand slid over her large swollen belly and smiled into the kiss.

A small kick halted the kiss. Graham looked down at his hand over Buffy's belly and laughed with excitement. "Did you feel that?"

"Yeah, the baby thinks I'm a soccer ball." said Buffy, removing her arms from around Graham's neck and instead, hugged his arm holding her thigh.

She rested her head over his shoulder and closed her eyes wearing a dreamy smile on her face.

Graham put the golf cart in gear and continued to drive up the path back towards _the Council_ and assist his beloved wife in getting this baby out of her body. He turned his face, burying his nose into her blonde hair and pressed a loving kiss.


End file.
